Parts of the river Rhine in south Germany are closed to shipping since the beginning of the week, due to a rise in water levels after a recent torrential rain.
According to Reuters, the southern Rhine rose after record rainfall and floods, marking Germany’s worst natural disaster in almost six decades.
As a result, Rhine river shipping is stopped around Maxau and Speyer in south Germany, while the high water levels makes passing under bridges impossible, thus preventing vessels sailing to Switzerland.
Nevertheless, dry weather has caused water levels to fall, thus enabling shipping in the northern sectors of the river from Mannheim to Duisburg to operate normally.
Now, southern sections of the river are not expected to open until later this week.
