Orkantief 'Detlef' Causes Storm Damage and Flooding Across Germany
Orkantief 'Detlef' brought destructive winds, flooding, injuries, and travel disruptions across Germany, especially in Hamburg, Baden-Württemberg, and the North Sea coast.
- • Orkantief 'Detlef' caused winds up to 110 km/h and severe weather across Germany (88043).
- • Flooding in Hamburg submerged the fish market; two teenagers rescued from rising waters (88043).
- • About 80 camping vehicles flooded on Norderney, ferry services disrupted (88043).
- • In Baden-Württemberg, two people were seriously injured by falling trees amid around 50 emergency responses (88041).
- • North Sea coastal water levels reached up to two meters above normal high tide in Schleswig-Holstein (88041).
Key details
Germany experienced severe weather over the weekend as Orkantief 'Detlef' swept through the country with powerful winds and heavy rain. According to BILD (88043), the German Weather Service (DWD) issued warnings of orkan-like gusts reaching up to 110 km/h, particularly in the Harz Mountains and the Black Forest region. Northern areas including Niedersachsen and Hamburg were battered by strong winds and storm surges. The storm brought significant flooding to Hamburg, submerging the fish market and other low-lying parts of the city. Firefighters rescued two teenagers and their dog from rising floodwaters in Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg after the trio climbed a tree to escape. On the North Sea island of Norderney, around 80 camping vehicles were flooded by the surge, and ferry services to the East Frisian Islands were disrupted.
In southwestern Germany, the storm caused numerous emergencies in Baden-Württemberg. As detailed by Der Spiegel (88041), police and fire departments responded to approximately 50 incidents linked to fallen trees across regions such as the Rems-Murr-Kreis, Ostalbkreis, and Schwäbisch Hall. Two people were seriously injured by falling trees in this area. Several roads had to be temporarily closed due to downed trees and debris blocking traffic. Meanwhile, the North Sea coast in Schleswig-Holstein saw a storm surge with water levels rising up to two meters above the normal high tide, as reported by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH).
Additionally, the storm brought the first snowfall of the season to higher elevations in Bavaria, adding to the disruptive weather conditions. The ongoing impacts included interrupted transport services and hazardous conditions caused by the combination of heavy rain, strong winds, and flooding.
Overall, Orkantief 'Detlef' caused widespread disruption and damage across Germany, prompting emergency responses and travel interruptions while highlighting the vulnerabilities in coastal and forested regions to severe weather events.