Severe weather: Heavy rain floods roads in Hesse and Bavaria

A storm front has left visible traces in some regions of Germany: trees fell on Friday, basements and streets were flooded, and a railway line had to be closed, according to the fire department .

Heavy rain, hail, and severe gusts of wind caused numerous operations in Hattersheim am Main, southern Hesse. Firefighters were primarily deployed to deal with fallen trees – including at the zoo and the cemetery – and water damage, a spokesperson said. Over a period of approximately four hours, 40 emergency personnel were deployed to 18 locations.

The storm hit suddenly, and the first alarm was received around 4:48 p.m.: A tree had broken down at the zoo, blocking visitors' access, according to the report. "Fortunately, no one was injured." The water damage affected a supermarket, an underpass, and several residential buildings, among other things.

In two communities in the Aschaffenburg district, streets were flooded and basements flooded. The Lower Franconian towns of Haibach and Bessenbach were affected, with over 65 firefighting operations taking place there, according to District Fire Chief Martin Bahmer. The storm front moved across the Aschaffenburg city area around 6:00 p.m. and then toward the two communities.

In Haibach, 35 storm-related incidents were reported. In addition to numerous flooded basements, manhole covers on the street had to be removed and later replaced. Emergency crews also removed a large tree that had fallen onto the street. In the Bessenbach community, there were 30 incidents by 9:30 p.m. Water was up to 30 centimeters deep in some streets.

Presumably due to a severe thunderstorm with gusty winds, a tree fell onto a moving tram in Mannheim. According to police, no one was injured; the tree's crown only damaged the overhead line and the tram.

According to the city, the three fire stations of the professional fire department and all eight departments of the volunteer fire department were deployed. Around 50 incidents were handled. A heavy rain front with thunderstorms and gusty winds moved across the northern parts of the city in the late afternoon. The integrated control center received numerous emergency calls within minutes.

Due to severe weather damage, the railway line between Zwingenberg (Baden) and Mosbach-Neckarelz has been closed. Delays and partial cancellations are expected, DB Regio announced on Platform X. In the Neckar-Odenwald district, a replacement service with eight buses has been set up between Eberbach and Seckach. Lines S1, S2, and S4 are affected.