Germany: 2 people missing after flood sweeps them off bridge

Rescue teams are searching for two people who were swept off a bridge by sudden floods in Bavaria

Germany Floods

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German authorities said Tuesday rescue teams are still searching for two people who were swept off a bridge by sudden floods in Bavaria the previous day. Eight other people were rescued uninjured.

Heavy, sudden rains on Monday afternoon had turned a creek in the Valley of Hell near the town of Grainau into floods which tore down a wooden bridge, sweeping down two people into the water, German news agency dpa reported. The other people were caught by the water or cut off from their paths by the flood elsewhere in the steep valley.

More than 160 helpers and helicopters were involved in the rescue missions. It was not clear who the two missing people were, dpa said.

The Höllentalklamm, or Valley of Hell, is a popular destination for hikers from across the country and abroad.

In Austria four people were injured by severe weather and firefighters were called out hundreds of times, local media reported.

Last month, more than 200 people died in deadly floods in western Germany

Climate scientists say there’s little doubt that climate change from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas is driving more extreme weather events — such as heat waves, droughts, wildfires, floods and storms — as the planet warms.

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