storm chaos about Germany: lightning strikes and evacuations

Veröffentlicht:

Von:

chaos on streets - several injuries

In the past few days, Germany has suffered from a number of violent storms that resulted in both injuries and considerable damage to property. The extreme weather conditions led to numerous operations by the fire brigade and the emergency services. The effects are clearly noticeable in different regions, since fallen trees and lightning strikes caused chaos on the streets.

Already on May 4, injuries were reported in some federal states. In Trier, a tree crown fell on two parked vehicles during a storm, which caused a driver to be caught in the car and had to be freed by rescue workers. In Central Hesse, too, two young men suffered minor injuries when a tree fell on their vehicle. In addition, the authorities reported numerous accidents with property damage in Northern Hesse, where fallen trees blocked the traffic on side streets.

The storms also went hand in hand with stronger thunderstorms and violent rainfall, which further tightened the situation in many affected communities. In Fulda, the entrance of a hotel was blocked by a fallen tree, which initially stuck about 60 guests. Deutsche Bahn was also severely affected because several routes had to be blocked due to fallen trees, which significantly impaired regional traffic.

On the streets in Hesse, the weather conditions led to aggressive reactions from some drivers when they reacted to the closures of the federal highways. According to reports, an attack on firefighters occurred, which made the already challenging situation more difficult. In many places, however, the emergency services were able to quickly help to remove the fallen trees and clear the streets again.

The cleanup is in full swing and many helpers are in use to remove the damage and to put the affected regions back into normal condition. The weather remains unpredictable, and the population is asked to exercise caution and to follow the instructions of the authorities. The combination of severe thunderstorms and strong winds is a serious danger that should not be underestimated.