12/22/2023 12:45 pm (current 12/22/2023 12:45 pm)
Cancellations or delays throughout Germany ©APA/dpa
Storm “Zoltan” is causing a lot of disruption to the Christmas travel plans of many rail customers in Germany. Due to storm damage, there will be train delays and cancellations on Deutsche Bahn's long-distance services on Friday, the railway announced online. Railway lines in the north are particularly affected. There may also be cancellations or delays on connections between Hamburg and Frankfurt, as well as between Hamburg and Munich, and some stops may also be skipped.
Fallen trees damaged overhead lines or blocked routes, especially in northern Germany but also in parts of Hesse. “DB is using heavy equipment to reopen routes as quickly as possible. All cleanup crews are on the road with repair vehicles to remove trees from track areas and repair overhead lines,” a railway spokeswoman said.
In Hamburg, the strong storm pushed water from the Elbe onto the coast overnight, completely flooding the Hamburg fish market and surrounding streets. The water was sometimes waist-deep. As not all cars were removed in time, they were also flooded. During the night, the Fire Department and Military Police were in the region looking for people in vehicles that were still parked in the flooded area.
Due to the expected effects of the strong storm, the central disaster team of the Hamburg Interior Authority has been on duty since Friday morning. “A water level of 5.20 meters is expected, which corresponds to water level 1 and with this the disaster management team begins its work,” said a spokesperson for the interior authority.
“Zoltan” will continue to bring strong winds along the coast on Friday. The wind is expected to decrease slightly throughout the day but increase again in the evening, as Anne Wiese, meteorologist at the German Weather Service (DWD), said on Friday morning. According to DWD, hurricane-like gusts of more than 100 miles per hour are possible at night. The wind is expected to decrease slightly in the second half of the night and become stronger again on Saturday night, although not as strong as on Friday.
There is a risk of a strong storm on Friday on the German North Sea coast and in Hamburg. In the Elbe area of Hamburg, police warned of a strong thunderstorm in the morning. According to the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), water levels will then rise to around three meters above average high tide. According to police, the affected area should be avoided. According to information, the peak of the flood is predicted for around 11 am, in the St. Pauli gauge, with a height of up to 3.05 meters above the average flood level.
BSH experts also predicted strong storms on Friday on the East Frisian coast and in the Weser area. Floods there during the morning and midday are expected to be 2.5 meters to three meters above the average value. Water levels two to 2.5 meters above average are expected on the north Frisian coast. A storm is considered severe if the water level is 8 feet above average high tide.