Severe storms, heavy rain hit southern Germany, flooding streets, disrupting travel

Violent storms swept across parts of southern Germany late Tuesday, injuring several people, flooding streets and basements, and temporarily halting flights at Nuremberg Airport.

The cities of Nuremberg, Furth, and Erlangen were hit hardest. Nuremberg’s emergency services center received more than 3,000 calls within five hours as heavy rain inundated roads and properties.

Nuremberg Airport suspended operations for a time Tuesday evening as the storm passed overhead. Several arriving flights were diverted and departures were delayed. Airport infrastructure suffered damage from downed trees, damaged roofs, and flooding on the grounds, a spokesperson said.

On Wednesday morning, another intense storm brought hail to the southern city of Reutlingen, flooding streets and triggering an hours-long response by firefighters and police. Around 6,000 households were without electricity in the early hours, the local grid operator FairNetz said.

In Garmisch-Partenkirchen, six soldiers were injured in a lightning strike and taken to hospital, police said.

Germany’s national weather service warned of a renewed risk of regional showers and isolated thunderstorms across the southern half of the country on Thursday, with severe conditions and localized downpours also possible on Friday.