- Storm with flooding in northern Hesse
A severe storm with heavy rain hit the region north of Kassel overnight on Friday. Hundreds of emergency services personnel were deployed to rescue people from their homes using boats or clear mud from roads with excavators. Bridges and cars were damaged by the floodwaters.
"Over 200 incidents have been reported so far, with the number expected to rise significantly," the Landkreis Kassel reported in the morning. A spokesperson for the county described the damage as "severe." No injuries were initially reported.
Rain began on Thursday evening, with "extreme heavy rain" coming overnight, according to the county spokesperson. The situation escalated around midnight, and an emergency response team was established. The rain finally eased around 5:30 am.
In Trendelburg-Gottsbüren, mud pushed several cars together and on top of each other, according to police in Hofgeismar. Two people were rescued after their vehicles were surrounded by water. They were freed with the help of a wheel loader.
The worst affected areas were Trendelburg, Hofgeismar, Bad Karlshafen, Reinhardshagen, and Wesertal. Basements and ground floors were flooded and pumped out. In some cases, people were rescued from their homes by boat.
As it got light in the morning, the devastation was visible. In Trendelburg, roads were still flooded, and the fire department was busy pumping them out. Excavators were at work on muddy roads.
The floods swept away trash cans, flower pots, heating oil tanks, and trees. A hole opened up in the asphalt in a courtyard. In Wülmersen, a liquid gas tank was torn away. Many roads remained closed on Friday, including the B80 and B83.
There was concern about a reservoir in Hofgeismar-Hombressen, which threatened to overflow. However, the county reported that the situation was stable in the morning. In Gottsbüren, transformer houses were damaged, leaving half the town without power.
Around 500 emergency services personnel were on duty throughout the night, with fresh teams arriving in the morning. "It was a pretty intense operation," said Vice-County Commissioner Silke Engler (SPD) in the morning. "I can't yet say when we'll have the situation under control."
In the Aftermath of the incident, authorities identified numerous instances of damaged vehicles, with several 'other' cars being pushed together and trapped in the mud. Despite the efforts of emergency teams, some residents were still stranded in their homes, requiring 'other' means of rescue, such as boats.
