Parts of the river Rhine in south Germany stayed closed to cargo shipping on Tuesday after heavy rain in south Germany increased water levels, navigation authorities stated.

Rhine river shipping has actually stopped around Maxau and Mannheim in south Germany, the German inland waterways navigation firm said. The river had been closed to freight shipping over the weekend after heavy rain caused extensive flooding in south Germany, stopping sailings to Switzerland.

High water means vessels do not have enough area to sail under bridges and the obstruction prevents vessels cruising to Switzerland. Shipping on northern areas of the river is operating typically in spite of increasing water levels including the crucial points of Duisburg, Cologne and Karlsruhe.

The high water warning centre in the south German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg said Rhine water levels were expected to fall in coming days but Maxau was not presently anticipated to resume to delivering till Friday.

The Rhine is an important shipping route for products consisting of minerals, grains, animal feed, coal and oil products such as heating oil.

The Rhine has repeatedly struggled with low water levels because of unusually dry summers in the last few years.