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STORM

Savage storms create chaos in Germany

Savage gales and heavy snowfall killed two people, injured several and caused a string of accidents and traffic snarls in southern and western Germany on Saturday.

Published: 25 January 2009 09:06 CET
Savage storms create chaos in Germany
Photo: DPA

Police in Schwäbish-Hall in Baden-Württemberg said on Saturday that a 70-year-old man was killed by a barn door loosened from its hinges while trying to park his car during winds gusting at up to 176 miles per hour.

The states of Hesse and Bavaria also reported several accidents on their highways that created traffic snarls for miles and kept rescue services busy for much of Saturday night. A 40-year-old man was reported to have died near Offenbach in Hesse after he lost control of his car on an icy road and collided with an oncoming vehicle.

Police in Bavaria reported that five people were injured, some of them severely, after an avalanche buried five cars and a truck.

The worst incidents were reported in Spain and southwestern France where the most savage gales for a decade killed at least 15 people and disrupted flights, trains and power supplies.

Click here for The Local’s weather forecast.

WEATHER

More rain forecast as storms hit western Germany

Severe storms and heavy rain affected parts of Germany on Thursday, creating disruptions. More rain is forecast on Friday but weather warnings have been lifted.

Published: 3 May 2024 09:53 CEST
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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