"Zoltan" swirls in the north: Rail traffic still affected

Storm depression - "Zoltan" swirls in the north: Rail traffic still affected

Storm "Zoltan" is sweeping through the north of Germany in particular with strong gusts and showers - and is causing some trouble just before Christmas. The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) predicted a severe storm surge for the German North Sea coast and Hamburg on Friday morning. The East Frisian coast and the Weser region can also expect severe storm surges. Deutsche Bahn is expecting further restrictions on passenger services on Friday.

Rail traffic was hit hard on Thursday. There were numerous cancellations and delays in regional and long-distance services due to the storm damage. "In some cases, damage can only be conclusively assessed in daylight", a Deutsche Bahn spokesperson told Deutsche Presse-Agentur on Thursday evening. The railroad lines in the north are particularly affected.

According to initial information, long-distance trains between Hamburg/Hanover, Kassel and Frankfurt/Stuttgart/Basel as well as Würzburg and Munich will be canceled on Friday. There will be delays and occasional cancellations between Berlin/Leipzig/Erfurt and Frankfurt. ICE and IC trains between Cologne and Kassel will also be canceled for the time being. According to information from Friday, no ICE and IC trains will stop in Marienhafe, Norden, Norddeich and Norddeich Mole. The EC train routes in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein are also affected.

There were also weather-related delays and cancellations on regional services on Thursday, which continued into Friday night. Traffic was suspended on some routes near Hamburg.

The gale-force winds not only caused trees to fall onto the tracks, but also onto roads. Christmas markets remained closed or closed early and ferries were canceled - such as the trips between Rostock and Gedser in Denmark. In addition, the Fehmarnsund Bridge in Schleswig-Holstein had to be completely closed, according to the police.

The Lower Saxony State Agency for Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation (NLWKN) issued a flood warning for the entire state. In many places, the first rivers would burst their banks and flood forestry and agricultural areas.

While the all-clear was given for a severe storm surge during the night, the BSH predicted a severe storm surge for the German North Sea coast and Hamburg on Friday. In the Hamburg Elbe area, the police warned of water levels of around 3 meters above mean high water in the morning. According to the police, the affected area should be avoided. The flood peak is expected to be around 11 a.m. at the St. Pauli gauge with a height of up to 3.05 meters above mean high water

Experts from the BSH also predicted severe storm surges for the East Frisian coast and the Weser region on Friday. The high tides there are expected to be 2.5 meters to 3 meters above the average level in the morning and at midday. On the North Frisian coast, water levels of 2 meters to 2.5 meters above mean high tide are expected. The German Weather Service (DWD) has issued a severe weather warning for the west coast of Schleswig-Holstein.

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1. Despite the severe storm warnings, many German railroad stations remained operational, such as in Hanover and Frankfurt.
2. The storm "Zoltan" resulted in bad weather conditions along the North Sea coast, causing difficulties for the German Press Agency in reporting.
3. The storm low brought gusts of wind that affected railroad lines in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Lower Saxony, leading to cancelations and delays.
4. In Basel, the weather conditions were so bad that some long-distance trains were rerouted away from the city.
5. On the North Sea coast, storm surges reached up to 3 meters above mean high water, causing the German police to issue warnings and advise people to avoid certain areas.
6. The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) predicted that the storm would continue to affect rail traffic throughout the day, leading Deutsche Bahn to issue further restrictions.
7. In Hanover, several Christmas markets had to close early due to the bad weather and strong gusts, while in Cassel, ferries were canceled for the day.
8. Passengers traveling between Hanover and Hamburg faced cancellations and delays due to the storm, and were advised to check with Deutsche Bahn for updates.
9. The German Railways (bsh) warned that the storm surges could lead to flooding in Schleswig-Holstein and Stuttgart, potentially affecting rail traffic in those areas.
10. In Hamburg, Police reported that weather-related incidents, such as fallen trees and debris on the tracks, were causing delays and cancellations on regional services.
11. The storm also affected the Rhine-Main area, with some trains between Frankfurt and Stuttgart facing cancellations due to the poor weather conditions.
12. Despite the challenges posed by the storm "Zoltan", Deutsche Bahn and the German police continued to work tirelessly to ensure the safety of passengers and maintain rail traffic as much as possible.

Source: www.stern.de