Thunderstorms and heavy rains have left roads inundated in parts of Germany, causing significant damage in some places, officials said Friday. Some areas are bracing for more rain.
Rescue workers called in hundreds of incidents, with the Franconia region of Bavaria among the worst hit. Several cars sank in flooded tunnels in Nuremberg and Fürth, and one district suffered a temporary power outage and flooded streets and basements.
The greatest financial damage was caused by a heavy thunderstorm in Untermerzbach, north of Nuremberg. There, a shed with some 60 to 70 vehicles went up in flames, most likely due to lightning, according to the fire department in an initial assessment.
The owner made a similar statement to a dpa reporter on the scene. Damages amounted to €5 million ($5.4 million), police said.
In the northern state of Thuringia, streets were also flooded in Nordhausen, and the city said basements were also flooded. Firefighters were called out several times to pump out basements and clear roads, some of which were covered in mud and debris.
According to the German Meteorological Service (DWD), more than 100 milliliters of rain fell in the region in less than 12 hours last night.
In the city of Ludwigshafen in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, a two-family house caught fire during a thunderstorm. The cause is being investigated and police said they could not rule out lightning. The five residents of the house were unharmed, but the fire caused damage of up to €100,000.
In western Germany, fire brigades in the East Westphalia-Lippe region were called out to flooded cellars and rivers that temporarily burst their banks. Meanwhile, two campsites in the Sauerland had to be evacuated.
The DWD issued extreme weather warnings in three districts in northern Thuringia on Friday morning. Heavy rain is expected for several hours, but will calm down in the afternoon.
