Storm Joshua causes chaos in rail traffic - route finally clear!

Storm Joshua causes chaos in rail traffic - route finally clear!

A violent storm hit large parts of Germany and caused a lot of chaos. The storm “Joshua” caused numerous fire brigade operations not only in North Rhine-Westphalia, but also in Lower Saxony and beyond. Today, October 26, 2025, reports South German newspaper that a fallen tree in the Ammerland district affected rail traffic between Norddeich Mole and Hanover. In an early morning incident in Bad Zwischenahn, a train collided with the tree, luckily there were no injuries.

The passengers were immediately evacuated and transported by bus to the nearby train station in Oldenburg. Repair work on the overhead line had to last until the afternoon, and the route could only be reopened after around eight hours. During this period, all IC trains between Norddeich Mole and Hanover were rerouted, resulting in delays of up to 45 minutes. Regional trains on the RE 1 line were also affected, and a replacement bus service was set up between Bad Zwischenahn and Oldenburg. The stopping failures affected, among others, Augustfehn, Westerstede-Ocholt, Bad Zwischenahn, Oldenburg, Hude, Delmenhorst, Bremen, Verden and Nienburg.

Traps in North Rhine-Westphalia

In North Rhine-Westphalia, storm “Joshua” caused numerous fire brigade operations Time reported. In Düsseldorf, a 50 meter high tree fell on several parked cars and damaged a residential building - fortunately no injuries were reported here. In addition, fallen trees in rail traffic between Nottuln and Münster caused some cancellations on the RE42 regional train line. The fire department also had to remove a tree from a residential building in Cologne, while streets were blocked in Gelsenkirchen.

In total, the fire brigade in North Rhine-Westphalia had to deal with several operations, including one on the market square in Ennepetal, where the top of the maypole broke off and got stuck in a tree. Despite the stormy conditions during the night, there were no major accidents or injuries. The German Weather Service continued to warn of stormy gusts that could reach speeds of up to 80 km/h on Friday.

Overall picture in Germany

The event was not limited to northern Germany. It was loud in Berlin and Brandenburg SWP a devastating storm that even resulted in one death and numerous injuries. Fallen trees not only blocked roads, but also S-Bahn routes, bringing traffic to a standstill for many hours. The Berlin transport company also had to struggle with considerable difficulties. Such severe weather events illustrate how necessary it is to pay attention to nature and to be well prepared when planning operations.

In the coming days, apart from the strong gusts, traffic will remain a dominant issue, especially on rail connections, where travelers will have to continue to be patient. In these stormy times, it is important to prioritize safety over speed.