NewsFrankfurt paralyzed: Violent storms unleash chaos in Germany's heart
Frankfurt paralyzed: Violent storms unleash chaos in Germany's heart
3 May 2024 16:12
Flooded streets, cellars, vehicles, and major delays in flights hit Hesse's largest city again as it grappled with extreme weather conditions. Yesterday, Frankfurt am Main and its surroundings were paralyzed by a violent storm with heavy rainfall.
Our western neighbours found themselves unlucky with the weather on Thursday. While pleasant and stable conditions encouraged active outdoor May Day celebrations over the Vistula, Germany, especially in its central region, faced dangerous weather phenomena.
Violent storms struck Germany, accompanied by intense rainfall, paralyzing Hesse and its largest city, Frankfurt am Main. In some places, as much as 50 litres of rain per square meter fell within a few hours, equivalent to approximately 1.1 inches of rain per square foot. According to the local newspaper "Frankfurter Rundschau," the region descended into chaos.
Yesterday, the German meteorological warning system DWD issued warnings across most former West German states, including Frankfurt am Main and the Ruhr region, reaching the highest alert level for heavy rainfall and hurricanes.
Water inundated roads, streets, vehicles, and cellars. A concerning incident occurred in Hofheim am Taunus, where one of the regional trains struck a downed overhead line, likely damaged by a fallen tree. Fortunately, there were no injuries.
The storm also caused major disruptions at Frankfurt Airport, with about 100 of nearly 1,300 scheduled flights cancelled.
The weather has since stabilized, but slight cooling is expected in the next few days, with daytime highs ranging from 57 to 62 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime temperatures between 37 to 53 degrees Fahrenheit.
