- Floods and Hurricane Injuries in Germany
Severe storms on Tuesday and Wednesday led to flooding in many parts of Germany and caused significant damage. Several people were injured, and others had to be evacuated, authorities reported. The storms were preceded by a heatwave that reached a peak of up to 36.5 degrees Celsius on Tuesday in the Rhineland-Palatinate town of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, making it the hottest day of the year so far, according to preliminary data from the German Weather Service (DWD).
The states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, Bavaria, and Baden-Württemberg were particularly affected by the storms. In Bruchsal, near Karlsruhe, large amounts of water fell overnight on Tuesday, with 91 liters of rain per square meter recorded between 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM, one of the highest values ever measured in Baden-Württemberg, according to a DWD spokesperson.
Vehicles were floating in the water, and several people were injured in Bruchsal, where streets were flooded, and vehicles were floating in the Heidelsheim district. The German Lifeguard Association (DLRG) rescued many people from houses and cars during this time. "Everything with a flashing light was on the scene," said incident commander Timo Imhof.
Two civilian helpers were injured, the severity of their injuries was initially unclear. According to the fire department, one person suffered a shoulder contusion in a fall in Gondelsheim, about 15 kilometers west of Karlsruhe. A helper was also injured while transporting sandbags.
The water supply in the Bruchsal districts of Heidelsheim and Helmsheim is threatened due to the cleanup of flood damage. The city of Bruchsal called on citizens to significantly reduce their water consumption.
Meanwhile, cleanup efforts continue in the heavily affected district of Karlsruhe. "Firefighters will be busy all day pumping out cellars, underground passages, and underground garages," said press spokesman Edgar Geißler. Although the water has largely receded, there is still mud in many houses and on the streets.
In Bavaria, an Eurocity train near Bad Endorf collided with a tree that had fallen onto the tracks and came to a halt. Around 260 people were on board and were taken to Prien by minibuses, the German Railway reported. According to the Federal Police, there were no injuries.
In the Lower Saxony district of Ammerland, a tree fell onto an overhead line due to the storm, causing the train traffic at Augustfehn station in Apen to come to a complete standstill late on Tuesday evening. A passenger train that was on the track was stopped.
Water pressed through manholes into the Evangelical Hospital in the Lower Saxony city of Oldenburg overnight. "The water was knee-deep in the emergency room," said a spokesman for the hospital. It was temporarily closed overnight.
Approximately 25 residents had to leave a care home in East Frisia due to heavy rainfall, which led to hundreds of fire service deployments, mainly in the city of Aurich. In the care home, ceiling panels had come loose. In an Aurich hospital, firefighters and the Technical Relief Agency were working to prevent an evacuation.
In the Hanseatic city of Hamburg, there were initially 55 weather-related deployments, mainly due to flooded basements. However, the brief storm in the morning was just a taste of what is to come, according to forecasts. "I have respect for this afternoon," the spokesperson stated.
Flooding also in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and NRW
Hesse, NRW, and Rhineland-Palatinate were also not spared. Thunderstorms and rain caused flooding and traffic disruptions in Trier. A stream overflowed and flooded the county road 5, according to the city.
In Hesse, a police spokesperson reported that the highway A5 at the Gambacher Crossing was temporarily flooded, with water standing up to 40 centimeters high. On the A3, a truck overturned in the Rheingau-Taunus district due to aquaplaning. The 63-year-old driver was reportedly lightly injured and taken to a hospital. Police also reported that several underpasses in Weiterstadt, Darmstadt, and Heppenheim were flooded, and several basements were flooded.
In North Rhine-Westphalia, many roads were flooded, including sections of the A59 and A42 near Duisburg. Police warned of aquaplaning.
DWD expects further heavy rain
The DWD expects further shower-like, partly thunderstorm-like precipitation, as well as heavy rain danger today, particularly in the west and northwest. The risk of storms remains high. On Thursday, showers and thunderstorms are still possible, but the situation should improve throughout the day.
Green Party faction leader concerned about climate change
The parliamentary faction leader of the Greens, Britta Haßelmann, expressed concern about the many storms and heat in Germany and Europe. "The persistent and extreme drought and heat are again threatening property and, in the worst case, human lives in Europe this year," she said.
"The fact that Germany is currently suffering from the heat wave is also evident in the terrible storms yesterday, for example, in North Baden and other places, where heavy rain hits dry soil and sweeps everything away instead of soaking in," she emphasized. She therefore stressed: "It's becoming clear to everyone that we need more protection from the consequences of the climate crisis."
The European Union expressed its concern over the severe weather events in Germany, with Green Party faction leader Britta Haßelmann from the EU Parliament highlighting the need for more climate change mitigation efforts.
Germany's federal states like North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg, among others, are seeking aid from the European Union to manage the post-storm recovery and rebuilding efforts.
