Rivers breaking banks in Germany as more snow falls

BERLIN – Authorities in Germany warned of flooding in the west of the country Saturday as meltwater pushes rivers to break their banks.

Shipping was halted on the Rhine at Karlsruhe, and in Wissen southeast of Cologne four men had to be rescued after their inflatable boat capsized in swollen rapids.

In Buedingen, east of Frankfurt, residents tried to salvage belongings from the mud swept in by a foot-high surge of water overnight.

Unseasonably warm weather and rain have accelerated snowmelt in parts of Switzerland and Germany in recent days.

Meanwhile, fresh snow disrupted rail traffic in large parts of northern Germany, cutting off connections to Bremen, Kiel and Luebeck overnight.