A devastating flood has claimed five lives in southern German as rescuers utilised boats to distribute food to stranded residents on Tuesday.
Despite ongoing rescue efforts, several individuals remained unaccounted for. However, there was a remarkable rescue as authorities located a woman who had spent 52 hours stranded in a tree to escape the floodwaters. Using a combination of drones and helicopters, police located the 32-year-old in a forest near Neu-Ulm, Bavaria.
In Passau, situated on the border with Austria, significant portions of the city center were engulfed by the rising waters. The convergence of the Danube and the Inn rivers led to a state of emergency declaration as the city grappled with overflowing banks.
Passau Mayor Juergen Dupper emphasised the city’s preparedness for Danube water levels since Friday’s onset of heavy rains that triggered the floods. However, unexpected high water levels in the Inn due to Monday’s rains posed an unprecedented challenge for the city.
Fortunately, Passau authorities reported no casualties at the moment, providing a glimmer of hope amid the disaster.
Tragically, elsewhere in Bavaria, a woman lost her life after her car was engulfed in floodwaters. Efforts to rescue the 57-year-old were unsuccessful, bringing the death toll to at least five, with six individuals still missing.
The devastating impact of the floods extended beyond loss of life, with thousands forced to evacuate their homes in Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg due to torrential rains. Emergency declarations were issued across southern Bavaria, prompting a massive response effort involving around 60,000 rescuers.
In response to the crisis, Bavarian Premier Markus Soeder announced that the regional government would allocate a minimum of 100 million euros ($109 million) in support for flood victims, underscoring the severity of the situation and the commitment to aiding those affected.
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