After heavy rains, the Integrated Control Center reported that Hochfrangan was “underground” for large areas of the district. The city of Selbyts has been particularly badly affected, where residential buildings, companies and cellars in a retirement home are overflowing, and the power grid has collapsed, Marcus Hanweber of the Integrated Control Center explained when asked by PR. According to police, some residents had to leave their homes temporarily. Considering this situation, a disaster was declared that evening.
Hundreds of tasks – waiting time for an emergency call
The German Meteorological Agency has previously issued a severe weather warning for high-altitude France. From noon to 9 p.m., emergency services were alerted about 500 times to the storm, according to the Hochfranken Integrated Control Center. The staff there was increased accordingly.
As the Bavarian Red Cross announced in the evening, the emergency number 112 could not be reached immediately due to the high number of callers in individual cases. However, the provision of rescue services ensures that the operations of the fire brigade should be given priority and that waiting times may occur.
Several hundred firefighters use water in Hoff County. “We urge people to be patient. Assistants are active in every activity, but cannot be everywhere at the same time,” said a spokesman for the Integrated Control Center.
Passengers have to be rescued from the train
Beirut police said some streets in the Hof and Nyla districts should be closed. At Autobahn 72 near Hoff, traffic was blocked due to standing water on the street. In aquaplaning accidents, some people are slightly injured.
A tree falls on the tracks due to a storm in the Under Heartmansroot (LKR Hoff) and obstructs the Leipzig-Hoff railroad. 25 people had to be rescued from the regional train. It took several hours to rescue the passengers, as the train had to be grounded and a replacement vehicle had to be arranged as the power had to be turned off from the overhead line first. A police spokesman said no one was injured.
More rain is expected
According to reports, in addition to Selbitz in Hoff County, cities in Berg, Iskikov, Kedits, Felits, Trojan, Helpbrechts, Rehove and Wunsidel Shaunwald and Selfe districts were also affected. The Hochfrangan Integrated Control Center, which is in charge of the Hoff-Wunchidel region, expects more operations at night in the Wunchidel district. A “massive rain cloud” is expected there.
According to DWT forecasts, the storms could hit other parts of Bavaria as well. With the exception of Franconia, Lower Bavaria and Upper Palatinate are expected to experience heavy rain, thunderstorms and hail throughout Wednesday night. Then the storms moved north, it was said.