Flooding in Germany

[Roz]

@notamermaid, don't know what part of Germany you're in, but I just saw on the news that 100 people have died due to flooding.  Are you being impacted?

[notamermaid]

Thanks for your concern. I am not affected personally - yet. You never know. Emotionally it is difficult to take. I can reach the affected areas in what would be an easy day trip there and back. It means I have been there a few times in my life and am familiar with them a little. Unbelievable. We just had puddles that turned into small lakes. The roof had just been repaired, no further leakage.

 

It is much affecting river cruising - the relatively little that is happening yet. Have a look at my posts in the Rhine and Moselle threads, where I have written a bit more.

 

If one started a cruise in Basel, Amsterdam, Remich, Trier or Frankfurt now, there could be serious disruption to the itinerary.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Loreto]

9 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Thanks for your concern. I am not affected personally - yet. You never know. Emotionally it is difficult to take. I can reach the affected areas in what would be an easy day trip there and back. It means I have been there a few times in my life and am familiar with them a little. Unbelievable. We just had puddles that turned into small lakes. The roof had just been repaired, no further leakage.

 

It is much affecting river cruising - the relatively little that is happening yet. Have a look at my posts in the Rhine and Moselle threads, where I have written a bit more.

 

If one started a cruise in Basel, Amsterdam, Remich, Trier or Frankfurt now, there could be serious disruption to the itinerary.

 

notamermaid

 

 

I, too, am very saddened by the flooding in Germany and Luxembourg and all the communities affected.  Prayers and concern for all.  We here in the southern California desert are begging for rain.

Karen 

[notamermaid]

@Loreto Thank you. I would gladly send you some water... I know it is hot over there with you. Perhaps we should have regulations that make people carry water to places that do not have enough. Like fly to Los Angeles and show your passport and liter of water for the local reservoir. I am only half joking. More like desperate. I fear for the Dutch. They watch the sea, but will the Meuse and the Rhine now do a surprise attack at their backs? Not really probably as they are familiar with the danger and already evacuating people as I write. But will it be enough? Will the dykes hold?

 

This is what has happened in the hilly Eifel region, a difficult read, the map shows the extent of the affected rivers. The greatest danger right now is coming from the Meuse: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57862570

 

notamermaid

 

[steamboats]

15 hours ago, notamermaid said:

If one started a cruise in Basel, Amsterdam, Remich, Trier or Frankfurt now, there could be serious disruption to the itinerary.

 

Moselle is closed since a couple of days now. MS Andrea got stuck in Trier and the cruise was ended early. On the Rhine river I heard that the AmaLucia which was supposed to go on the Moselle river starting in Cologne first moved the start to Duesseldorf and than during the night prior to departure to Duisburg. The cruise is now going North to Amsterdam and back to Cologne (river conditions permitting). So no river cruise traffic from Cologne up to Basel at all.

 

The Main river has no floodings so the Lady Diletta is going as scheduled. VIVA Cruises had to change itineraries on the Rhine river too.

 

It´s not the big rivers causing problems right now. They are more or less on a normal flood stage. The main problems are small creeks which due to the enormous amount of rain became big rivers flooding whole villages and towns. Those type of water which you never expect to flood in such a way. The other problem are the big water reservoirs which couldn´t take the amount of rain and simply overflooded. Some of the dams are in a critical situation too.

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

The Main has no flooding, that is correct. Not much rain came down there, most of it was West of the Rhine and further North. The Main can cope with what the tributaries send right now. I meant to imply that those itineraries that start from Frankfurt and go West to the Rhine would not get very far.

 

On the Rhine we have several waves going through, rain in Switzerland, rain in the Eifel hills, water from the Moselle, but also from the Lake Constance area which is the one that is the standard scenario that feeds the Rhine itself you could say. But the disastrous flooding happened in the streams in the hills that are small but turned into torrents.

 

The Amalucia and other river cruise ships could have gone as far upstream as kilometre 601 yesterday lunchtime, that is Neuwied-Engers, so not been able to get to Koblenz. And quite frankly then it makes much more sense to head straight downstream to the Netherlands. They may be able to wait it out there and return to Cologne as a ban around Cologne may just be avoided during this time. Or they could indeed cut the journey short at Düsseldorf or Duisburg. Flexibility is key.

 

Although the rain is shifting towards the East and the Alps it looks as if the worst is over. We need not expect such torrential rain along the German and Austrian Danube.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited July 17, 2021 by notamermaid

[Roz]

I just read a story and saw photos online (posted 18 hrs. ago) showing flooding in and around Valkenburg in the Netherlands.  Thousands have evacuated.  This isn't good.  If anyone knows how to handle water, it's the Dutch.  

 

Thousands flee as flood waters breach Dutch barriers (msn.com)

 

 

[Rexythree]

Any word of cancellations on the Rhine yet due to the flooding or just rerouted trips ? 

[notamermaid]

Yes, it is bad in the Netherlands. That is also because Eifel rivers like the Rur drain into the Meuse, so the river Meuse carried its own load and that of smaller tributaries combined. In a few places they had the highest water levels ever since official records began in 1911.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

12 minutes ago, Rexythree said:

Any word of cancellations on the Rhine yet due to the flooding or just rerouted trips ? 

Mostly rerouted from what I have read, but a couple of cancellations as the route just did not work due to low bridges. That is German/European lines. For American lines I cannot say, few are running already, Viking may give some info on their website.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

The Ahr valley and Eifel as they were and as they are now:

https://www.dw.com/en/flooding-in-germany-before-and-after-images-from-the-ahr-and-eifel-regions/a-58299008

 

The Ahrtalbahn, the picturesque regular railway has lost at least seven bridges and about 20km of track. two engines are trapped somewhere along the line. Deutsche Bahn is still trying to assess the damage, especially on the Eifel line near the Moselle where they cannot even get to some places by road to see what has happened.

 

notamermaid

 

[NavyCruiser]

So very unfortunate timing, since Viking's very first river cruise is the Rhine river on July 18, 2021...

[Rexythree]

Any word on changes to the Viking cruise

[steamboats]

3 hours ago, NavyCruiser said:

So very unfortunate timing, since Viking's very first river cruise is the Rhine river on July 18, 2021...

 

At least the Viking Kara won´t run due to the accident. But as Viking has enough ships laying idle she can be replaced. But anyway the Viking Kara was supposed to start in Basel which is not possible right now.

 

The Viking Hlin at least is in Amsterdam where she is supposed to start today. But on her way upriver to Basel she will encounter the flood wave. So if she can go through there will be at least some changes in the itinerary. Even if the river is still open for traffic the landings are flooded and the ships can´t dock. As an example the traffic is stopped at 8.30 cm in Cologne. The river crested there shortly below the mark (I think it was 8.25 cm). Anyway the landings were flooded and no way to dock and disembark or embark passengers.

 

Yesterday evening the heavy rain front made it to the South of Bavaria and adjoining Austria. Especially the area around Berchtesgaden and Hallein was hit hard. Some of the smaller rivers like the Inn river are on flood stage in certain areas. As the Inn river is joining the Danube river in Passau they are on flood stage 3 too there on the Danube river.

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

Finding accessible places to dock can indeed be a problem. It could result in Viking using the winter harbour. A place like Koblenz is easier if the embankment is still accessible but that can also flood when it is extreme. The Speyer large landing stage was shown partly submerged in a news report. Here is a photo of an excursion boat one, smaller size, but it illustrates the problem: https://www.express.de/koeln/unwetter-in-koeln-zwei-tote-gefunden-pegel-steigt-kraeftig-68413

 

notamermaid

 

[ljandgb]

We have a river running thru our town.  It came massively out of its banks during Hurricane Harvey from rain upstream.  What shocked me wasn't as much the volume as the velocity of the water.  It rampaged thru town, picked up cars, shipping containers, mobile homes, etc, and tossed them around like rubber duckies.  When the water receded, there was mass destruction along its path.

 

Will these towns along the Rhine be ready for tourists?

Edited July 18, 2021 by ljandgb

[steamboats]

@ljandgb the towns along the Rhine river were not affected. They only had the "regular" flooding. Even along the Moselle river where the water receeded the damage is not that bad. It was the small creeks which turned into big rivers destroying houses, bridges and streets.

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

I agree, the towns along the Moselle and Rhine should be fine. The only problem I can possibly see right now is the dock at Trier Ehrang, which the companies may also call Trier Nord. It is where the river Kyll river caused some destruction in the suburb, but as it is not the only dock, if there is a problem it should be a minor disruption. In a good week or two after the clean-up, most towns will not show any signs of flooding, perhaps just a bit extra mud...

 

notamermaid 

 

 

Edited July 18, 2021 by notamermaid

[Canal archive]

Thanks to all our German contributors we are well ahead of the news outlets keeping up with what’s going on. Fingers crossed all will be sorted ASAP. We are overheating here it’s been a good 90f in our back garden.

[notamermaid]

While in the West people are clearing up, the rivers in the Southeast and East have been rising. Despite the overall severity easing, it hit the Alps in Bavaria and Austria. Particularly bad is the Inn which drains into the Danube at Passau. Read more in this thread: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2771440-danube-water-levels-2021-and-similar-topics-plus-tips-and-info/

 

The death toll in the Eifel has risen. Our chancellor has been to the region today. Our president had already been. The BBC is on the scene still and has broadcast heartbreaking footage.

 

But I want to end the day with a bit more positive story. I do not expect you to know much about the region, let us just say it is North of the Moselle, West of the Rhine extending into Belgium and kind of ends at a line drawn from somewhere South of Cologne to Aachen. The one thing that is internationally known quite well is the Nürburgring race track. This weekend something else was going on here: https://www.dw.com/en/german-floods-nürburgring-becomes-makeshift-aid-center/a-58303815

 

notamermaid

 

 

[NewCruiser2016]

Notamermaid, The race track/help and support article you linked is heartwarming. Thank you for bringing it to our attention.

[Riksu4452]

Thanks for all this informative information. We are scheduled to join a Viking cruise in Trier and go to Basel Switzerland on August 15. What are your thoughts whether this cruise will run into problems or not.

Rick from Texas

[steamboats]

4 hours ago, Riksu4452 said:

Thanks for all this informative information. We are scheduled to join a Viking cruise in Trier and go to Basel Switzerland on August 15. What are your thoughts whether this cruise will run into problems or not.

Rick from Texas

 

Rick, you might see some damages but by August 15th the rivers should be back on normal stage.

 

steamboats

[ljandgb]

21 hours ago, steamboats said:

@ljandgb the towns along the Rhine river were not affected. They only had the "regular" flooding. Even along the Moselle river where the water receeded the damage is not that bad. It was the small creeks which turned into big rivers destroying houses, bridges and streets.

 

steamboats

 

Ah, that's good to know, though my heart goes out to all the neighborhoods and towns that are affected.  

[notamermaid]

I have mentioned Trier and its suburb Ehrang. This is where the Kyll drains into the Moselle. The small river rose so much that people in Ehrang had to be evacuated. It has destroyed virtually all the technical equipment in the hospital. Here is a report, just to show you the photo of two workmen. The machine was an MRT and is completely unusable, just scrap now. It weighs four tonnes  and was moved by the water in the cellar of the hospital by half a meter. The damage is in the millions of euros from this kind of equipment alone. https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/trier/hochwasser-in-der-region-trier-anwohner-geschockt-100.html

 

Going back to the Nürburgring I have mentioned. The hotel at the racetrack is now used as an old people's home, much of it that is, as the elderly had to leave their proper one. Those who cannot live in their houses or flats have also been invited to stay for free at many hotels in the area.

 

The footage from Berchtesgarden and near Salzburg is also quite extreme. Much flooding around there in the Alpine regions.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited July 19, 2021 by notamermaid