Thunderstorm chaos in the Wesel district: 36 missions after Storm Engin!

Thunderstorm chaos in the Wesel district: 36 missions after Storm Engin!

Yesterday, on July 2, 2025, after a heat wave with temperatures over 35 degrees, Germany experienced a huge storm front that had devastating effects. The low-pressure area “Engin” not only caused violent thunderstorms, but also massive rainfall, which led to fire brigade and other rescue services being called out in many places. The Wesel district was particularly affected, where the fire brigade went out on a total of 36 missions, mainly on the left bank of the Rhine and in Hamminkeln schermbeck-online.de reported.

In Wesel, lightning struck a residential building, luckily no one was injured. Around 200 firefighters were deployed or on standby in the region to pump out flooded basements, secure roads and remove fallen trees. These weather extremes are not isolated and reflect a worrying trend that has been observed in Germany in recent years.

Old and new challenges caused by the weather

The incoming and outgoing storms also affected other regions of Germany. In Emsland, a “special situation” was declared at 5:20 p.m. after falling trees blocked streets and flooded basements. A dramatic event took place in Lingen, where a tree fell on a moving car and a person had to be rescued. A nearby canoe camp had to be evacuated with 22 children due to life-threatening conditions, but fortunately the four missing people were quickly found.

The damage doesn't stop. A roof truss in Osterholz probably caught fire due to lightning, which resulted in three injuries and put the house in danger of collapsing. Weather situations like this also highlight the connections between extreme weather events and climate change. According to the German Weather Service, on dwd.de Experts are observing a significant increase in such extreme events in Germany, while the frequency of cold winters and severe frosts is decreasing.

A look into the future

The development of temperatures in Germany is clear: clear figures show an increase in hot days, with frequent highs above 30 degrees. Climate change will further increase the likelihood of heat waves in the coming decades and nature will be unable to counteract this. The weather conditions were particularly excellent when another roof structure fire broke out in the Emsland district at the same time, which was also caused by lightning and caused damage of around 50,000 euros without any injuries being reported.

These weather phenomena are not only worrying, but also a call to action. As the cleanup of recent storms continues, we should be mindful of the risks and challenges posed by climate change, as extreme weather appears to be more prevalent than ever. Current events are further evidence that we will have to adapt to continued extreme weather conditions, which will be exacerbated by global warming.