Firefighter dies and train derails amid heavy rain and flooding in Germany

Flooding, high river levels and heavy rain led to the death of a firefighter and disrupted train travel in southern Germany on Sunday.

The firefighter’s body was recovered after an inflatable watercraft carrying four firefighters capsized as they navigated floodwater to take residents to safety in the town of Pfaffenhofen, on the Ilm River in the southern Bavaria region, the dpa news agency reported.

German rail operator Deutsche Bahn warned of extensive cancellations and delays and told customers who postponed trips that their tickets would be honoured.

Traffic was disrupted on routes including those from Munich to Berlin, Stuttgart and the Swiss city of Zurich.