Severe Weather in Southern Germany Causes Injuries and Damage

Severe weather conditions in southern Germany have led to significant disruptions and injuries, particularly affecting air travel and local infrastructure. A passenger flight was forced to make an emergency landing due to intense turbulence, while nearby towns experienced substantial property damage.

On Wednesday evening, a Ryanair flight from Berlin to Milan encountered severe turbulence around 8:25 PM, resulting in an unplanned landing at Memmingen Airport. The flight, carrying 179 passengers and six crew members, had to divert after several individuals on board sustained injuries. Reports indicate that eight people were hurt, including a two-year-old child who suffered bruising, and two adult passengers who required medical attention for a head injury and back pain. Initially, there were reports of nine injured, but this was later corrected.

A spokesperson for Ryanair confirmed that, due to the turbulence, the aircraft was redirected to Memmingen, where it landed safely. Emergency medical assistance was requested, and most passengers continued their journey to Milan by bus later that night. A replacement flight was arranged for the following morning. The Southern Bavaria Aviation Authority did not authorize any further flights from Memmingen that night, prioritizing passenger safety.

The severe weather also wreaked havoc in Ulm, where multiple homes became uninhabitable after roofs were torn off by high winds. Fire department officials reported that the damage occurred in the Donaustetten district, where several residential buildings were affected, although no injuries were reported in this instance. Initial assessments suggested that a small wind vortex might have been responsible for the destruction, but meteorologists from the German Weather Service (DWD) are still investigating to confirm whether a tornado occurred.

In addition to the emergency landing, police and fire services in Bavaria responded to approximately 200 incidents related to the storm. These incidents included downed trees and flooded basements, particularly affecting the northern regions of Upper Bavaria, Lower Bavaria, the Upper Palatinate, and Swabia. In Manching, near Ingolstadt, a cyclist was injured after colliding with a tree that had fallen across the road due to the storm.

Reports from the autobahn A8 towards Munich indicated that a motorist sustained minor injuries in an accident attributed to aquaplaning, a common hazard during heavy rainfall.

The impact of the weather was not limited to Germany. In neighboring Czech Republic, emergency services undertook nearly 500 operations in response to similar weather conditions. Firefighters were dispatched to clear fallen trees from roads and railways, and over 70,000 households experienced temporary power outages due to the severe weather.

As severe thunderstorms are expected to continue, the DWD has issued warnings for the northwestern regions of Germany, predicting showers accompanied by thunderstorms and heavy rain. Hail and gusty winds are also anticipated. The weather forecast suggests that the central and eastern parts of the country may experience localized heavy rainfall, potentially leading to further weather-related challenges.