Severe Rain and Wind Gusts Cause Injuries and Disruptions Across Germany

Severe weather conditions, including heavy rain and strong wind gusts, have left a trail of destruction in several regions of Germany, resulting in multiple injuries and significant disruptions. Incidents were reported throughout the country, including damaged roofs and fires caused by lightning strikes.

In Trier, a tree fell onto two moving vehicles on a busy four-lane road due to the storm. Emergency services had to extricate one driver who was trapped in his car and subsequently transported him to a hospital. Fortunately, the three occupants of the other vehicle were unharmed.

In Central Hesse, two young men sustained injuries when a tree collapsed onto their car. The 18-year-old driver and his 17-year-old passenger were treated for minor injuries. Meanwhile, in North Hesse, local police reported numerous accidents resulting in material damage and minor injuries, with several side roads blocked by fallen trees.

The German Weather Service (DWD) had forecasted severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall for Saturday, primarily affecting areas from southern North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland in the west, extending to southern Brandenburg and Saxony in the east.

Rail services were also significantly impacted, with the Deutsche Bahn announcing track closures due to fallen trees obstructing the railway lines. Several regional trains in Rhineland-Palatinate were affected by these disruptions.

In Fulda, a fallen tree blocked the entrance to a hotel, trapping approximately 60 guests inside until firefighters could clear the obstruction. In East Hesse, fallen trees and branches littered the roads, causing additional hazards for drivers. One tree fell in front of a moving car, but the driver emerged unscathed.

In the Hersfeld-Rotenburg district of Hesse, police reported that a main road was fully closed due to debris on the roadway. Some motorists reacted aggressively towards firefighters who were managing the situation, prompting police intervention to de-escalate the conflict.

More incidents were reported in the Vogelsbergkreis region of Hesse, where trees were downed on several federal and state roads. In Lauterbach, roof tiles blown off by the wind fell onto a parked vehicle, while a metal garden fence was hurled against six parked cars. A lightning strike triggered an alarm at a primary school in Alsfeld.

Fire departments in the Mainz area responded to over 20 emergency calls due to the severe thunderstorms. In Schwabenheim, firefighters had to secure ceiling panels that had been dislodged by water intrusion, while in Gau-Algesheim, a lightning strike ignited a shed, and a garden hut caught fire in Alzey. Firefighters also addressed issues related to fallen branches, uprooted trees, and flooding in various buildings and roadways.

In Baden-Württemberg, serious fires were reported, including a barn fire in Bad Wildbad that spread to a residential home, causing an estimated EUR600,000 in damage. Initial investigations suggest that a lightning strike was responsible for the fire. Additionally, a lightning strike reportedly hit a multi-family house in Pforzheim, resulting in damages of about EUR100,000 due to the subsequent roof fire.

The 'Rhein in Flammen' festival held in Bonn was interrupted due to the severe weather. Organizers had anticipated potential disruptions based on weather forecasts but expressed regret that the situation materialized as predicted. Rain and lightning began affecting the Rheinaue area in the afternoon.

Similarly, a storm passing over Thuringia led to a brief interruption of the program for the Thüringentag celebration in Gotha, with performances paused for approximately 15 minutes due to the rain. Fortunately, there were no reported damages from these events.