Several days of heavy rain caused flooding in the southern part of Germany. Several municipalities declared a state of natural disaster and hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes.
In Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria the situation is more difficult. Among those caught in the flood, a firefighter died during the rescue operation. The 22-year-old died when the pontoon carrying his group overturned in a river near Pfaffenbach an der Ilm, 50km from Munich.
A second victim was found dead by rescue workers in the basement of her home in Upper Bavaria.
Water flows from rivers
Train services have been disrupted due to storms in southern Germany. Rivers are overflowing, reaching levels not recorded in the region for years.
On Monday, a dam on the Bar River, a right tributary of the Danube, broke in three places. According to the Guardian, this prompted authorities to send residents to the upper floors of their homes They await rescue by boat and helicopter.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Upper Bavaria on Monday. Along with Interior Minister Nancy Fesser and Bavarian President Markus Soder, they visited the flood-affected areas.
The German Army and the National Humanitarian Organization are working to help people and deal with the effects of the floods.
The German weather service predicts a gradual easing of heavy rain, but warns of severe storms in many parts of Bavaria. Areas around Augsburg, Nuremberg, Bamberg and Regensburg are particularly at risk.
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