Black ice in Bonn and region Bonn fire services and police called out 50 times
Bonn/Region · There was black ice on roads in Bonn on Monday morning. Bus traffic was restricted at times. The German Weather Service says roads could be icy all morning.
Rain on Sunday night combined with freezing temperatures mean there is a widespread danger of black ice on roads, the German weather agency (DWD) warns. In Bonn and the surrounding region, the rain immediately froze, so that many roads and paths were covered with a layer of ice and some of them still are. Caution is advised especially on footpaths and side streets.
On Sunday evening, the DWD stepped up its forecast to a severe weather warning for freezing rain and black ice throughout Bonn and the surrounding region districts until Monday morning. There was a considerable threat of black ice due to freezing rain during the night, and it continues throughout Monday morning, especially in the east of NRW and in the surrounding hilly regions. Severe and persistent disruptions to road and rail traffic are very likely in some areas.
Busses running with some restrictions in the early hours of Monday morning
Bonn police have reported 30 incidents since Sunday evening. According to spokesperson Robert Scholten, most of them involved fender-benders. In some cases, vehicles are reported to have broken down. "We are feeling the pressure, but for the weather situation as a whole, the number of incidents is still manageable," Scholten told the GA. There have been no serious injuries so far.
In the past ten hours, the Bonn fire brigade's rescue service was called out to 24 emergencies, most of which were due to people slipping on the icy surface, reports spokesperson Frank Frenser. In one case, a patient had to be put in a rescue basket (Stokes basket) so that he could be pushed over the ice-covered paths from the house to the ambulance. It was impossible to transport the patient with a conventional stretcher due to the icy conditions.
According to SWB Bus und Bahn, public transport was restricted until 6 a.m. due to black ice. As soon as road conditions permit, bus lines travelling to the outskirts of Bonn are also expected to resume service. There will continue to be considerable obstructions in city and tram services due to the difficult weather conditions, SWB said.
Bonnorange out gritting
Bonnorange has been on the roads in the city area with gritting vehicles since Sunday. On Monday morning, the company said it had started to target the routes in priority level 1. The gritting vehicles were deployed on bridges, important and dangerous roads.
Düsseldorf closes schools and day-care centres
In response to the official severe weather warning, Düsseldorf City Council had already decided on Sunday that schools and day-care centres would remain closed due to the extreme weather situation in the city.
In the course of the night, the situation eased with increasing moderate temperatures in the western lowlands, and in the east and in the hills in the morning and afternoon. Temperatures will rise to between seven and eleven degrees Celsius during the course of the day and will also be well above the frost line at around four degrees Celsius in hilly regions. According to the DWD, temperatures will remain well above zero for the next few days. The weather will be mostly cloudy, with the possibility of rain.
(ga/dpa)
