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Storm chaos: Berlin-Hamburg railway line closed for hours after storm!
Stormy weather leads to rail disruptions between Berlin and Hamburg. Emergency services are fighting against damage and injuries.
Storm chaos: Berlin-Hamburg railway line closed for hours after storm!
A severe storm caused chaos in Berlin and the surrounding area on Monday evening, June 23rd. The railway line between Berlin and Hamburg had to be temporarily closed due to a fallen tree. ZDF Today reports that the first trains only left in the evening after the route was cleared. For travelers this means that train delays will continue to occur, while diversions via Stendal are no longer necessary.
The violent storm not only caused a disruption to S-Bahn traffic in Berlin, but also led to dramatic consequences. At least one person was killed and three other people suffered life-threatening injuries. The fire department had to deal with over 500 calls within 90 minutes and volunteer fire departments were called in to assist. Rundschau Online highlights that many branches and trees blocked the S-Bahn tracks, which made the clean-up and repair work even more difficult.
Strong thunderstorms and high wind speeds
The weather situation remained unstable and the German Weather Service warned of strong thunderstorms and hurricane-force gusts. Maximum wind speeds of up to 100 km/h were expected, while in Brandenburg an der Havel a speed of 105 km/h was even measured. In this tense situation, residents and traffic were particularly badly affected while the clean-up work was in full swing.
In the evening, some S-Bahn trains were gradually put back into operation. However, only two lines ran shortened in order to maintain operations under difficult conditions. The S-Bahn between Anhalter Bahnhof and Nordbahnhof as well as the S45 between Schöneweide and Spindlersfeld were active again. This step-by-step return to normality is eagerly awaited by many travelers.
The situation in Berlin and the surrounding regions remains tense as the fire brigade needs quick response times throughout the city and the consequences of the storm are still being felt. It remains to be hoped that further disruptions to rail traffic can be resolved quickly and that more journeys will run smoothly again.