Floods in Germany's Bavaria disrupt European Parliament elections

A man walks through a flooded street. Many places in Bavaria continue to be flooded after heavy rainfall. Peter Kneffel/dpa

The recent floods in Germany's state of Bavaria have affected voters for the European Parliament elections, with a number of polling stations forced to relocate and reports of lost voting documents.

Bavaria's state election officer, Thomas Gössl, said that town halls were not yet usable in some affected regions, which is why provisional municipal administrations have been set up.

However, conversations with election officers in these areas had shown that the election can be conducted properly, he said.

According to Gössl, voters who have lost their voting documents due to the floods or have not received them should contact their local authority promptly to request and collect new documents.

Gössl said new voting cards can still be issued in Bavaria until 12 pm (1000 GMT) on Saturday.

A hydrant and a holder for a lifebuoy protrude from the water of a flooded street in the city on the three rivers. After heavy rainfall, many places in Bavaria continue to be flooded. Peter Kneffel/dpa