Germany Floods Threaten Euro 2024 Prep
Heavy rains in southern Germany have triggered widespread flooding, leaving two people dead, several missing, and thousands forced to evacuate their homes.
The rising floodwaters have also raised concerns about the upcoming Euro 2024 football championship, which Germany is set to host in two weeks.
A 22-year-old firefighter lost his life after his rescue team's inflatable boat overturned on a swollen river. Search and rescue crews also recovered the body of a woman who had been reported missing on Saturday from the basement of her home in Upper Bavaria.
The national railway company, Deutsche Bahn, has urged people to avoid travel in the affected areas for their own safety and to allow emergency services unimpeded access to critical zones.
Disruptions to transportation infrastructure are a major concern as Euro 2024 approaches. While no matches are scheduled to take place in the flooded areas, damaged roads and disrupted rail links around Munich, Nuremberg, and Stuttgart could significantly impact the movement of hundreds of thousands of football fans travelling throughout the country.
On Monday, a dam on the Paar River, a tributary of the Danube, suffered breaches in three locations. This prompted authorities to order residents to evacuate to upper floors of their homes and await rescue by boat or helicopter.
The historic Danube city of Regensburg, with a population of 150,000, declared a state of emergency as water levels reached a critical point. Fears of a repeat of the devastating floods of 2013 and 2002 are mounting.
The German army, Bundeswehr, and the Federal Agency for Technical Relief, THW, are actively involved in rescue efforts, helping to evacuate residents and remove dangerous debris.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Upper Bavaria on Monday alongside Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. Together, they toured flood-stricken areas with Bavarian leader Markus Söder. Scholz expressed his gratitude to the thousands of emergency service personnel, acknowledging their efforts to "prevent the worst and save lives." He pledged the full support of the federal government in assisting flood-hit communities.
Meanwhile, farmer representatives have warned that floodwaters could have a catastrophic impact on this year's harvest. Additionally, some political leaders are calling for the introduction of a flood insurance premium based on a national solidarity principle, which would encompass all German households regardless of their flood risk zone.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
