Perched on a bench by the flooded riverbank at the tip of the narrow peninsula where Passau's old town is situated, local resident Robert is watching volunteer workers pump water out of nearby basements.

The square in front of his apartment is usually buzzing with tourists who offload from cruise ships to explore the Bavarian city close to the Austrian border. The kindergarten teacher moved into a first-floor apartment here two years ago and has no plans to leave.

"People go on holiday to be by the water. Well, we've got it right at our front door," he smiles, pointing to the now-submerged promenade where sightseers would normally be enjoying ice cream and taking a few snaps.

Known as the "Three Rivers City" ("Dreiflüssestadt"), Passau lies at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers and has a population of around 54,000. A state of emergency was declared here on Tuesday as streets and squares in the picturesque old town, known for its Baroque architecture, were swallowed by flood waters up to a high of 9.7 meters (32 feet) — the normal level is 6 meters (20 feet).

The river cruise industry along the Danube, one of Europe's most famous waterways, brings hundreds of thousands of tourists to the region each year. As the clean-up efforts continued in Passau, tourists and residents alike could still be found enjoying ice creams and Aperol spritzes in the city-center streets........

© Deutsche Welle