“Absolute chaos”: Hundreds of operations after severe storm

Heftige Unwetter haben Straßen überflutet, Keller volllaufen und vor allem den Fluss Saalbach im Landkreis Karlsruhe extrem ansteigen lassen. Feuerwehr, Polizei und Rettungskräfte sind im Dauereinsatz. Zunächst gab es keine Hinweise auf Verletzte.

Die Hochwasserzentrale warnte am Abend, wegen lokal teils extrem heftigen Starkregens seien in der Nacht und am Mittwoch starke Anstiege der Wasserpegel an manchen Bächen und kleinen Flüssen in Baden-Württemberg möglich.

„In bebauten Gebieten kann es beim Auftreten von Starkniederschlägen im Einzelfall zu örtlichen Überlastungen der Kanalisation und zu schnellen Überflutungen von Straßen, Kellern, Unterführungen und Tiefgaragen kommen“, hieß es in einem Lagebericht auf der Internetseite der Hochwasserzentrale. „Auch außerorts sind Überflutungen von Straßen möglich.“ Es bestehe aber keine überregionale Hochwassergefahr an größeren Flüssen.

Nach ersten Informationen des Lagezentrums im baden-württembergischen Innenministerium lag im Südwesten ein Schwerpunkt der abendlichen Unwetter-Einsätze in der Region Karlsruhe. In der Integrierten Leitstelle in Karlsruhe hieß es: „Wir haben hier Tausend Einsätze.“ Bei der Polizei waren es 350 bis 400 nach ersten Angaben.

Sprecher von Feuerwehr und Polizei hatten zunächst selbst Mühe, sich einen Überblick zu verschaffen. Mancherorts stehe Wasser einen halben Meter hoch auf der Straße oder in Unterführungen, sagte ein Polizeisprecher. Besonders betroffen sei der Bereich um Bretten und Bruchsal.

Wegen des Unwetters warnt die Stadt Bruchsal die Bevölkerung: „Achtung – Bleiben Sie daheim“, hieß es am Abend auf der Internetseite. „Aufgrund eines Starkregenereignisses kommt es in Teilen der Kernstadt Bruchsal und den Stadtteilen Heidelsheim und Helmsheim zu Überflutungen.“ Die Ortsdurchfahrt in Helmsheim stehe teilweise einen Meter unter Wasser. Der Fluss Saalbach sei in Teilen über das Ufer getreten.

Die Menschen sollten zu Hause oder in sicheren Aufenthaltsbereichen bleiben, bis das Wasser abgeflossen ist, und sich nicht in den Überflutungsbereichen aufhalten. Weil Kanaldeckel weggespült sein könnten, drohe man zu stürzen und hineingezogen zu werden.

Wegen Überflutungen sind den Angaben zufolge Straßen, Kreuzungen und Unterführungen nicht befahrbar und gesperrt. In Helmsheim bestehe die Gefahr, dass eine Trafostation überflutet werden – mit der Folge, dass die Stromversorgung unterbrochen werden müsse. Das Feuerwehrhaus Heidelsheim sei wegen Überflutung nicht anfahrbar.

Seit 20.30 Uhr sei der Stab für außergewöhnliche Ereignisse der Stadt alarmiert und koordiniere die Maßnahmen, hieß es weiter. Alle Kräfte der Feuerwehren seien im Einsatz, vorrangig um Menschenleben zu retten und lebensbedrohliche Situationen zu beseitigen.

In Gondelsheim, about 15 kilometers west of Karlsruhe, cars were being washed away by masses of water, said a fire department spokesman. There was “absolute chaos.” People who were surrounded by water in vehicles had reported it, said a police spokesman. He further explained that, according to the fire department's initial assessment, no evacuation measures were necessary at first.

On the social network Facebook, the municipality announced that there was an emergency situation throughout the town. People should – if possible – support friends and neighbors. “After the rain, many helping hands and pumps, etc. are also needed.”

The Gondelsheim fire department wrote on Facebook about the flood: “We currently have a lot of reports that we are prioritizing and processing.” It could take longer.

North Rhine-Westphalia was also affected by the storms. “All available emergency services are deployed,” said a spokesman for the Duisburg fire department. Almost the entire city area was affected. The main focus of the operations was problems with water – flooding in basements and underpasses. There have been no serious injuries so far.

However, one person was hit so hard by a hailstone that he suffered a laceration on his head. The police also reported several flooded areas on the Autobahn 59 and Autobahn 42 near Duisburg. They warned of aquaplaning.

In Bonn, the police reported around 30 operations. “Flooded cellars, broken branches, trees on the road,” a spokesman said in the evening. In Haltern am See, the fire brigade also carried out several operations. There, too, the emergency services were mainly dealing with flooded cellars and fallen trees. According to preliminary findings, human lives are not in danger. “There are also no rivers that are overflowing their banks.”

A tree that had fallen due to the storm probably ended the journey of 80 passengers on an S-Bahn near Hennef (North Rhine-Westphalia), a spokesman for the railway said. The passengers had changed to another train on site. The tree had “almost certainly fallen due to the storm” on the section of track between Siegburg/Bonn and Hennef, he said. As a result, an S-Bahn train could no longer continue.

In Bavaria, a Eurocity train collided with a tree that had fallen onto the tracks and came to a stop. This was reported by a Deutsche Bahn spokesman on Tuesday evening. Around 260 people were on board during the incident near Bad Endorf (Rosenheim district). According to the federal police, no one was injured.

The section of track between Bad Endorf and Prien near Lake Chiemsee has been closed since shortly after 7 p.m. The track is expected to be reopened in the early hours of Wednesday, according to DB. The overhead line is damaged and needs to be repaired. The passengers were taken to Prien in minibuses. According to the federal police, a tree fell on the overhead line. The train hit it and the tree then fell on the train.

Heavy rainfall has also led to hundreds of fire service operations in East Frisia (Lower Saxony). The town of Aurich was particularly affected, said a spokesman for the operations center in Wittmund.

A nursing home and a hospital in particular caused concern for the emergency services. Around 25 residents of the nursing home had to be brought to a sports hall in the evening. According to the spokesperson, ceiling panels had come loose in the home. It was not immediately clear how long the people had to spend in the sports hall.

The German Red Cross is caring for the residents, it was said. “They are warm and safe,” he said. Initially, it was said that the entire nursing home was affected by the evacuation.

In an Aurich hospital, forces from several fire departments and the technical relief organization worked to prevent an evacuation. They tried to get water out of the basement with powerful pumps. The critical infrastructure was secured with sandbags. A power outage in the clinic should be prevented at all costs, said the spokesman.

According to a police spokesman, no one was hurt. Cellars in particular had to be pumped out. “There are huge amounts of water that have found their way out,” he said.

Thunderstorms and rain have caused traffic disruptions in Trier. County Road 5 between Biewer and Aach is currently completely closed due to flooding, police announced late in the evening.

Trees have fallen and there is rubble on the roads in several places. According to the police's initial information, no one was injured.