Storms batter southern Germany, injuring several and halting flights

Violent storms swept across parts of southern Germany late Tuesday, injuring several people and flooding streets and properties across the cities of Nuremberg, Furth, and Erlangen. Local emergency services and police reported widespread disruption as heavy rain inundated the region.

Transport chaos in Nuremberg

Nuremberg’s emergency services center received more than 3,000 calls within five hours as heavy rain inundated roads and properties. Nuremberg Airport suspended operations Tuesday evening as the storm passed overhead, diverting several arriving flights and delaying departures. Airport infrastructure suffered damage from downed trees, damaged roofs, and flooding on the grounds, a spokesperson said.

Lightning strikes and power cuts

In Garmisch-Partenkirchen, six soldiers were injured in a lightning strike and taken to hospital, police said. On Wednesday morning, another intense storm brought hail to the southern city of Reutlingen, flooding streets and triggering an hours-long response by firefighters and police. Around 6,000 households were without electricity in the early hours, the local grid operator FairNetz said.

Fresh warnings

Germany’s national weather service warned of a renewed risk of regional showers and isolated thunderstorms across the southern half of the country on Thursday. Severe conditions and localized downpours are also possible on Friday, forecasters noted.