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Dozens of cities hit by erratic weather

While some parts of Germany basked in sunshine on Saturday, dozens of cities in western and southern Germany were hit by severe flash floods and thunderstorms.

Published: 27 July 2008 10:15 CEST

Dozens of cities hit by erratic weather

Photo: DPA

Depending on where you were on Saturday, the latest heat wave in Germany was either a blessing or a curse. People in the northeast of the country enjoyed the hot temperatures by lounging in parks or taking a dip in their local pool.

But people in the western states battled torrential rainfall that caused power outages and flooded streets and basements. Fourteen people were brought to hospital in Wuppertal after heavy thunder and lightning storms, and a wind tunnel that whipped through a campsite left five children with minor injuries.

In Hessen, storms caused motorway chaos with at least three people reporting injuries following car accidents.

In Baden-Württemberg, the city of Mannheim was particularly affected by flooding, with water levels reaching 1.5 metres in some locations.

Meteorologists are predicting that the current heatwave will last until at least Tuesday, with temperatures soaring above 30 degrees Celsius.

More rain forecast as storms hit western Germany

Major storms hit western Germany on Thursday, causing travel disruption and flooding.

In parts of Baden-Württemberg, streets were flooded and rivers swelled. Bisingen, southwest of Tübingen, was particularly hard hit, with cellars and streets plunged under water.

Police said there was also traffic disruption. In Baden-Württemberg’s state capital Stuttgart, severe storms and lightning caused issues and some roads were closed.

A lightning strike in the Sigmaringen area resulted in a broken signal box on the railway line. According to Deutsche Bahn, no train journeys were possible in the region in the early evening with several delays and cancellations.

Other states were also affected.

There were around 300 relief operations in the Ahrweiler district in Rhineland-Palatinate, which was hit by the 2021 deadly flood disaster.

Police said no-on was injured, although basements and streets were flooded. The water levels of the Ahr were being closely monitored.

Emergency services in Bisingen on Thursday.

Emergency services in Bisingen on Thursday. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Silas Stein

In Trier, too, streets were flooded after heavy rain and there were hailstorms. The Koblenz police headquarters reported fallen trees. Significant property damage due to full cellars and flooded streets was also reported in some areas.

Heavy showers also fell in Hesse, accompanied by thunder storms. In Frankfurt, according to the fire department, the heavy rain caused water to enter the Bethanien Hospital and even reach the intensive care unit of the clinic.

“We were able to contain the damage relatively quickly and prevent it from spreading,” said fire department spokesman Thorben Schemmel, adding that no patients were affected.

In Rhineland-Palatinate, the Eifel region was particularly affected, with reports of flooded streets after heavy rain and hailstorms.

North Rhine-Westphalia also saw storms late in the afternoon on Thursday.

The German Weather Service (DWD) said it expected some heavy rain and hail in parts of the country on Friday – particularly in the west – and at the weekend but warnings of severe weather have been lifted.

The DWD said there could still be one or two strong thunderstorms in the northeast on Friday. However, it will be a significantly quieter day compared to Thursday. Temperatures of up to 25C can be expected.

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