Overview

• Using insurer and hydrological data under a centennial flood scenario, DUH found 65,517 Bavarian addresses in high-risk zones — the most of any German state.
• Analysts warn that climate-driven increases in extreme rainfall will make 100-year floods more frequent and intensify vulnerabilities nationwide.
• Bavaria has granted over 3,250 building permits in potential floodplains over the past five years despite its relocation program aimed at removing structures from high-risk areas.
• Hesse’s environment ministry rejected DUH’s figure of 26,400 at-risk addresses in its state, calling the assessment methodologically unsound.
• Deutsche Umwelthilfe advocates renaturation and stricter spatial planning as essential nature-based measures to bolster flood defenses.