Latest news Heavy thunderstorms rage over Germany - European Championship match interrupted
There was heavy thunder and lightning in large parts of Germany on Sunday night. Masses of water and hailstones fell from the sky during the heavy thunderstorms, especially in the west and southwest. The wind swept across the country at speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour, which is almost hurricane force (103 km/h), according to the German Weather Service (DWD).
30.06.2024, 08:53
SDA
On Sunday morning, the DWD lifted all existing storm warnings for severe thunderstorms in Germany. However, the meteorologists continued to warn of severe thunderstorms in northern and eastern Germany. In addition, the possibility of localized severe thunderstorms with heavy rain in the north-eastern half of Germany into the morning could not be ruled out.
Football fans had to be strong
In Dortmund, the round of 16 match of the European Football Championship between Germany and Denmark was temporarily interrupted on Saturday evening due to the thunderstorm. Powerful lightning could be seen above the stadium, hail and heavy rain fell on the pitch. Torrents of rain poured down from the roof of the Dortmund stadium onto the front rows of spectators. After a forced break of around 25 minutes, the match continued.
The public viewing events in Dortmund were called off prematurely as the danger posed by the thunderstorm was too great for the fans, it was explained. In Frankfurt am Main, the fan mile had already been closed in advance.
The storm also caused problems at Dortmund Central Station. According to the Federal Police, lightning struck the railroad line between Dortmund and Hamm in the evening. Although no people were injured, the line was closed for a short time. It was reopened after an inspection. There was no major damage at the main station.
In Oberhausen, lightning struck the roof of a residential building and caused a fire. The fire was extinguished, but residents were unable to return to their homes for the time being, according to the fire department.
Various events fell through
The SWR3 Rheinland-Pfalz Open Air concert event in Mainz also had to be canceled in the evening due to the storm. By this time, almost 10,000 people had come to the venue on the Grosse Bleiche in Mainz. Around the city, as well as in neighboring Wiesbaden and Saarland, the fire department had to be called out frequently due to the storm. However, no major damage was initially reported.
Rare weather event
Even if heavy rain is becoming more frequent: According to a DWD meteorologist, a so-called severe thunderstorm situation like this night only occurs "once or twice a year in Germany". During the night, the storm continued to move north-east.
In the particularly hard-hit areas, the DWD expected up to 40 liters of rainwater per square meter in a short time, in some cases even 50 to 80 liters in a few hours.
