- Storms in Germany
After a scorching start to the week, severe storms with rain and even hail swept across parts of Germany. Particularly affected, according to initial reports, are North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, and Baden-Württemberg. In the evening, emergency services reported flooded basements and flooded streets in some areas. A tree allegedly uprooted due to the storm ended the journey of 80 passengers on a S-Bahn near Hennef (NRW), as a spokesperson for the railway said. The passengers were transferred to another train at the scene. A care home in East Frisia had to be evacuated.
36.5 degrees recorded in Rhineland-Palatinate
Preliminary data from the German Weather Service (DWD) indicates that today was the hottest day of the year so far. The highest temperature of 36.5 degrees was recorded in the Rhineland-Palatinate town of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, as a DWD meteorologist reported. This surpassed the previous record of 35.7 degrees, also recorded provisionally, at the same location.
Flooded stretches on the motorway
Later in the evening, the storms arrived. "All available emergency services are in action," said a spokesperson for the Duisburg fire department. Almost the entire city area is affected. The clear focus of the operations is water-related issues - flooding in basements and underpasses. There are no reports of serious injuries so far. However, one person was severely injured by a hailstone, resulting in a head wound. The police also reported several flooded areas on the A59 and A42 motorways near Duisburg. They warned of aquaplaning.
In Bonn, the police reported around 30 incidents. "Flooded basements, broken branches, trees on the road," a spokesperson listed in the evening. In Haltern am See, the fire brigade also carried out several operations. There, too, the emergency services were mainly dealing with flooded basements and fallen trees. No lives were in danger, and there were no reports of rivers overflowing.
Waterspouts sweep away cars
In Karlsruhe and the surrounding area (Baden-Württemberg), streets were also flooded - basements filled with water. In some places, the water was half a meter deep on the streets or in underpasses, a police spokesperson said. There were no injuries. The area around Bretten and Bruchsal was particularly affected. In Gondelsheim, about 15 kilometers west of Karlsruhe, cars were swept away by the floodwaters, a fire department spokesperson said. "There's absolute chaos."
In Linkenheim-Hochstetten, lightning struck the attic of a multi-family house, setting it on fire, as the police spokesperson said. The fire department extinguished the fire. The residents are temporarily accommodated in part in a church, as the house is without gas and electricity.
Care home has to be evacuated
Heavy thunderstorms also led to hundreds of fire service operations in East Frisia (Lower Saxony). The city of Aurich was particularly affected, a spokesperson for the operations center in Wittmund said. A care home had to be evacuated. The number of people affected was initially unclear. A hospital was also severely affected. Emergency services from the fire department and the Technical Relief Agency are trying to pump out the basement to prevent an evacuation. "Sandbags are being brought in," the spokesperson said.
The Commission, led by meteorologists, released a statement about the extreme weather conditions, stating that the high temperatures and severe storms were not typical for this time of year. Despite the challenges, The Commission urged the public to stay safe and follow the instructions of emergency services. In North Rhine-Westphalia, where the storms caused significant damage, The Commission praised the swift response of the local authorities and emergency services.
