Storm Detlef Causes Severe Injuries, Flooding, and Disruptions Across Germany
Storm Detlef has caused serious injuries, flooding, transport disruptions, and fatalities across Germany, particularly affecting northern coastal areas and southwestern regions.
- • At least three people severely injured by falling trees or branches in Baden-Württemberg and Rheinland-Pfalz.
- • Storm surge warnings issued for the North Sea with water levels two meters above average, causing flooding in Hamburg and North Sea islands.
- • Transport impacted by road closures, ferry cancellations, and a disabled Dutch tanker rescue operation.
- • Winds up to 100 km/h prompted numerous emergency responses and early snowfall in Bavarian Alps.
Key details
Storm Detlef swept across Germany over the weekend, causing significant injuries, property damage, and transportation disruptions, particularly across Baden-Württemberg, Rheinland-Pfalz, and northern coastal regions. At least three people were seriously injured: two occupants of a minibus struck by a falling tree in Baden-Württemberg and a 38-year-old angler in Rheinland-Pfalz who was hit by a falling branch, all requiring hospitalization. The storm also contributed to three fatalities reported in northern Germany amidst widespread chaos.
Along the North Sea coast, storm surge warnings were issued by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) as water levels rose up to two meters above average tide levels. Hamburg experienced flooding in low-lying areas including the fish market due to strong winds pushing water inland. The North Sea islands of Langeoog and Norderney faced severe beach erosion and flooding, with around 80 vehicles at a Norderney campsite submerged.
Transportation was heavily affected: multiple roads were closed following fallen trees with emergency services responding to numerous incidents, especially in Baden-Württemberg. Ferry services along the Schleswig-Holstein coast were disrupted with cancellations. A Dutch tanker, Eva Schulte, was disabled near the Dutch coast but was safely anchored following a rescue operation. Additionally, the storm brought snow to the Bavarian Alps early for the season.
Winds reached speeds between 75 and 100 km/h, with warnings of gusts up to 100 km/h issued for the Brocken area in Saxony-Anhalt. As of Monday, Detlef was weakening while lingering over the southern Baltic Sea, expected to bring cloudy, rainy conditions but with diminishing winds by Tuesday.
Overall, the storm inflicted considerable damage across several German states, complicated rescue efforts, and disrupted travel and transport services throughout its course.