A volunteer firefighter died during a rescue operation in Bavaria, southern Germany, plagued by heavy downpours and floods while another is missing, police announced on Sunday.
The 42-year-old firefighter lost his life when the boat he was in with three other rescuers sank near Pfaffenhofen in Bavaria. Pfaffenhofen is one of the Bavarian districts that has declared a state of emergency due to rising waters.
Rescuers were trying to reach people trapped by floodwaters when their boat overturned. Three managed to escape but the fourth was found dead in the water by another team of rescuers at 2:20 a.m. (00:20 GMT).
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was saddened by the death, expressing on
A rescue operation was also underway on Sunday to find another volunteer firefighter in Offingen in Bavaria. The 22-year-old also fell into the water when his boat sank in a flooded area, police said.
Torrential rains have caused flooding in Bavaria and neighboring Baden-Württemberg since Friday. In Bavaria, 3,000 residents had to leave their homes because of rising waters, the regional Interior Ministry said.
Deutsche Bahn said on Sunday that the rail line linking the cities of Stuttgart and Augsburg was interrupted due to the bad weather.
Two cars of a high-speed train traveling on this line were derailed on Saturday evening following a landslide, according to media reports.
No passengers were injured in this incident which occurred near Schwäbisch Gmünd.
Several Bavarian districts have declared a state of emergency.
The German Weather Service (DWD) warned of further heavy precipitation on Sunday in Bavaria.
Chancellor Scholz is due to visit the affected regions on Monday.
