# 2024 German floods

The 2024 German floods occurred after a Vb situation brought continuous rain, sometimes over 100 mm, over large parts of southern Germany from the end of May 2024. Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg were particularly affected, but also parts of other federal states. Floods of the century occurred on several rivers and streams, and at least thirteen Bavarian districts declared a disaster. In addition to local rescue workers, fire brigades and water rescuers from other regions, technical relief organizations and the Bundeswehr were deployed to deal with the flood situation. Thousands of people were evacuated as a precaution. In some places people were rescued from their homes by boats and helicopters.

## Meteorology

The German Weather Service had already warned in advance of flooding due to a continuous rain situation with amounts of up to around 150 mm within 48 hours, which the low “Orinoco” would bring over southern and eastern Germany by June 1st and 2nd. The reason for this high amount of precipitation was the type of low, a so-called Vb situation, in which the low does not move from the west to Germany, but comes from the Mediterranean region and therefore carries a lot of moist air with it. In addition, such lows usually move slowly, which increases the amount of rain in a region. In the past, Vb lows have repeatedly led to severe flooding such as: The flood of the century in 2002.
As a result of man-made global warming, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and more intense. Such weather conditions also last longer, which also increases the amount of precipitation regionally. Climate trends also show that Vb locations have become significantly more common in recent decades. In addition, global warming means that the air can absorb more moisture, which leads to more precipitation. For every degree of warming, the air can absorb 7% more water vapor. Likewise, higher water temperatures lead to higher evaporation rates, meaning more moisture-saturated air is available. At the time of the flood, the Mediterranean was around 2 °C warmer than the long-term average for this time of year.
In some cases there was more precipitation in one day than would otherwise be expected in a whole month. In some places, more than 130 liters of precipitation fell per square meter within 24 hours. In Sigmarszell it rained 160 liters per square meter in 48 hours.
The soil, which was already water-saturated in June 2024 after the previous wet May, had a worsening effect. Two weeks earlier, for example, the floods in southwest Germany led to severe flooding in Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate and northwestern Baden-Württemberg. In May there was 30% more rainfall than average, meaning that soils and rivers could only absorb little water.

## Effects

The flood caused flooding of inhabited areas. Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg were particularly affected. There were individual mudslides (including a motorway section in Hesse (A7 Bad Hersfeld-West and Homberg/Efze) as well as road closures in Bavaria (A3 Parsberg and Beratzhausen) and (A9 Ingolstadt-Süd and Langenbruck) and (A8 near Munich / Sulzemoos). Train service was partially interrupted because numerous regional and long-distance routes were no longer passable, including the Stuttgart-Munich long-distance route. An ICE train also derailed near Schwäbisch Gmünd.

### Bayern

In Bavaria the focus was initially on Swabia. The fourth and therefore highest reporting level was reached at various water levels; in some places, hundred-year floods occurred, i.e. floods that, statistically speaking, only occur once a century. Several dams burst, including near Augsburg. At Reichertshofen, a flood of the “HQ extreme” category was even reached, a category that is higher than the 100-year flood. There was also serious damage in the Pfaffenhofen and Eichstätt districts, with Manching and Baar-Ebenhausen in particular being badly hit in addition to Reichertshofen. Nordendorf was also badly hit and had to be evacuated.
In the Pfaffenhofen district, two dams on the Ilm broke on June 2nd in the municipality of Baar-Ebenhausen. Residents of various localities were asked by the authorities to immediately leave the ground floor and flee to higher floors. In Fischach in the Augsburg district, people had to be rescued from their homes by helicopter; boats were used elsewhere. As of June 2, 2024, a total of more than 3,000 people had to be evacuated. The cell phone network also collapsed regionally, making rescue difficult. Authorities advised using sheets or cloths to signal the need for help to rescue workers if necessary.
After Swabia in particular was initially hit hard, further damage is expected downstream in Lower Bavaria and the Upper Palatinate as the water flows into rivers such as the Danube. It is feared that Neuburg, Kelheim, Regensburg and Straubing will be particularly affected and that the Danube level in Passau will rise to 9 meters. At a number of measuring points, the Danube reached the fourth and highest flood reporting level.
Thirteen counties declared a disaster. According to Prime Minister Markus Söder, around 40,000 rescue workers were deployed in flood operations in Bavaria on June 2nd. Regional forces were also mobilized to support the units on site. Among other things, fire brigade units and helpers from the Bavarian Red Cross from Lower Franconia deployed to the disaster area. Classes were canceled on June 3 in at least 40 schools in eight districts.
A firefighter died while trying to save a family when his boat capsized. Another firefighter is missing. At least one woman who is said to have been in a basement is also missing. In addition, a worker suffered a life-threatening electric shock.

### Baden-Württemberg

In Baden-Württemberg, several tributaries of the Danube experienced a hundred-year flood. In the Göppingen district, hundreds of emergency services from the fire department and technical relief organization were deployed, among other things, to erect sandbag barriers. Many roads were closed due to flooding and landslides.
There were floods near Rastatt and Karlsruhe on the Rhine. In addition, shipping on the river between Iffezheim and Germersheim was stopped after the Maxau water gauge exceeded the limit of 7.50 meters. Similar forecasts applied to the Neckar, near Heidelberg, where the Neckar has already overflowed its banks, a flood is expected every five to ten years.
On the evening of June 2nd there was heavy rain and severe flooding in the Göppingen district, especially in the Ebersbach an der Fils area. The lower disaster control authority of the Göppingen district explained the extraordinary operational situation so that disaster control units from the district and outside can be requested.

### Hessen

There were isolated floods and floods in Hesse, but to a much lesser extent than in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The levels of the Rhine, Main and Neckar were excessive; near Worms, the Rhine exceeded reporting level 1 on June 2nd. In Wiesbaden, a flood protection wall was built, a pump was set up and people were asked to avoid parking spaces near the Rhine.

### Discussion about compulsory insurance

The Prime Minister of Hesse, Boris Rhein, in his capacity as chairman of the Prime Minister's Conference, has called on the federal government (Scholz Cabinet) to introduce compulsory insurance against natural hazards.
The background to this demand is the flood in southern Germany, the flood in southwest Germany around Pentecost 2024 and the devastating flood in the Ahr Valley in 2021, which caused damage to the tune of 30 billion euros.