Floods in southern Germany force thousands from their homes

DW (English)

Southern Germany is struggling with some of the worst flooding it's seen in years. At least 4 people are confirmed dead and thousands more have been forced to leave their homes. DW has been speaking to people in the Bavarian town of Manching.

Transcript

00:01Trying to save what still can be saved.

00:04Hundreds of sandbags are piled up by the residents of Manching,

00:08hoping to protect their houses after a dam broke a few kilometers upstream.

00:13Others have already given up, like Günter Hebding, who watches on helplessly.

00:19The cellar is filling up with water. It's coming in from all directions.

00:25We have to see what comes next.

00:27I don't know. I have no idea.

00:33The main road has been entirely submerged.

00:36Affected residents are aghast by the disaster they are experiencing.

00:41Martin Celler and his wife have tried their best, but the floods were too strong.

00:46Their house is also filling up with water.

00:49This is a catastrophe. I've never experienced anything like it.

00:54This much water, it's bad.

00:58What does the situation look for you?

01:01The cellar is under water. Everything is destroyed.

01:07In the parts of the town that are still dry, people are using the time to prepare.

01:14Andreas Wiewel is getting more sandbags as the water is just meters away from his house.

01:21Of course it's nerve-wracking.

01:23I'm afraid for my house after seeing what happened to some of the other houses.

01:27Of course I don't want that.

01:29My wife and children had to leave. They've gone to the grandparents.

01:34Here in Manching people are in deep shock.

01:38What used to be the center of their town is now completely flooded.

01:42People are trying to pump the water out of their basements,

01:46which has gone everywhere, even up to ground level here.

01:51But one thing keeps everyone going. Solidarity.

01:55People from all over the town have come together

01:58to fill up sandbags that affected neighbors can then pick up.

02:04It's simple. We all help each other out.

02:09And while everyone is hoping for the best,

02:12the real extent of the damage will only be seen once the water levels recede.

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