Flash floods affect Germany, Sri Lanka and Brazil

One person has died and thousands have been evacuated as a result of the torrential rains that hit the southern part of Germany last weekend. Flash floods have also affected northern Italy. The situation is also dramatic in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Brazil, where the number of deaths and families made homeless continues to rise, with losses estimated in the billions of dollars.

South of Germany under water

Several days of heavy rainfall in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg have led to a critical rise in water levels in rivers and reservoirs. In some locations, as much rain fell in 24 hours as the monthly average. Dams were breached and many towns in southern Germany were flooded. Volunteers have been building sandbag dams for days to protect strategic municipal buildings, such as schools and hospitals. One firefighter has died and one person is considered missing.

Flash floods have been observed, among others. In Nordendorf, Kühlenthal and Diedorf, where the dams could not withstand the pressure of the water. In Diedorf, German services are battling the elements, pumping out water at a rate of 10,000 liters per minute. An aid center has already been established in Augsburg, where hundreds of local residents are being rallied. In total, more than 3 thousand. people, and many municipalities have decided to cut off water. Energy supplies were also interrupted, and Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder officially declared the situation catastrophic. A state of emergency was declared in Regensburg on Monday, June 3, as the water level in the river reached 5.9 meters in the morning and continues to rise.

A train derailed near the town of Schwäbisch Gmünd after water washed out the railroad tracks. To make matters worse, the train was still hit by a mudslide – fortunately, none of the 185 passengers was hurt. What is uncertain, however, is the fate of three young people trapped on a small island in the flooded Italian region of Friuli. Intense rains have swept into the regions of Veneto, Lombardy and Trentino-Alto Adige, where an orange storm warning status has been in effect since May 31.

Flash floods in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Indonesia

The beginning of June also brought unfavorable news from Southeast Asia. Flash floods associated with the monsoon season that occurred in many regions of Sri Lanka have left at least 15 people dead – the search for the missing is still ongoing. Authorities in Colombo have decided to close schools, and the Red Cross and the army are providing ongoing assistance even 19 thousand. people, who were trapped by water. 28 houses were completely destroyed, more than 4,000. severely damaged. Electricity was preemptively turned off in many localities. Unfortunately, further precipitation is expected.

The situation is also disastrous in northwestern Afghanistan, which has been hit by successive flash floods since mid-May. In the last one, according to UNICEF, up to 350 people were killed, including several children. It is estimated that 5,000. families were left homeless.

Violent storms have also led to flooding of the Lamandau River in Central Borneo. The water destroyed more than 200 homes, four educational and six administrative buildings. More than 230 families were affected. Meanwhile, in West Java, a tidal wave destroyed 700 homes and flooded 450 hectares of fishponds. However, this is probably not the end of bad news for Indonesia – on June 1, a volcano erupted on the island of Halmahera, sending a 5-kilometer ash cloud into the air. Authorities warn that more flash floods are expected because of this.

Flood drama in Brazil

Heavy rains have also plagued southern Brazil since early May. In Rio Grande de Sul, the flood balance sheet as of May 28 indicated 169 deaths, 88 missing, 581,000. evacuees and nearly 50,000. people in temporary shelters. The situation is also critical in the Parana and Santa Catarina regions. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has called for an intensified vaccination program, and epidemiological specialists have also been sent to the site. There are fears that high water levels combined with the critical humanitarian situation will lead to the spread of infectious diseases.

The spring floods in Brazil will also leave a huge mark on the economy. Current losses are estimated at $1.9 billion, the operations of 94 percent of companies have been severely disrupted. Analysts warn that it will take more than 10 years for many municipalities to recover from such a disaster.