The fire and rescue service control centre of the Rhein-Sieg district was called out to a total of 50 weather-related incidents. However, the control centre reported that there were no large-scale operations. The emergency services were mainly called out because of fallen trees or branches. The control centre did not register any calls because of flooded cellars. No one was injured. In some parts of the district there were power cuts. In parts of Meckenheim, 700 people were temporarily without power, in parts of Ruppichteroth 200 and in some parts of Hennef 1200. The Bonn fire brigade registered only a handful of calls.

According to the German Weather Service, the weather in North Rhein-Westphalia on Sunday was dominated by the foothills of a low-pressure system over the European North Sea: in addition to abundant rain, it also brought strong winds and gale-force gusts. In Aachen and the Cologne Bay, for example, individual gusts reached 95 kilometres per hour, while in the southern half of the state gusts of between 65 and 75 kilometres per hour were recorded, reported DWD meteorologist Matthias Ohneiser at the DWD in Essen. For Bonn and the surrounding districts, a corresponding storm gust warning was still in effect until Sunday evening.

The DWD had issued warnings of persistent rain for the Rhein-Sieg district, parts of the Western Eifel, the Bergisches Land, Sauerland and Siegerland, and the Eggegebirge: Rainfall amounts of 30 to 50 litres per square metre were to be expected within 24 hours. The weather service added to its warning for the evening: heavy thunderstorms could occur in the Ahrweiler district, the Rhein-Sieg district, the Neuwied district and in the federal city of Bonn.

By Sunday noon, rainfall of more than 30 litres in twelve hours had already been measured in Hückeswagen and Meinerzhagen in the Bergisches Land region. However, a meteorologist had already reassured the public on Saturday that the expected rainfall would be significantly less than during the flood disaster in July. During the great flood, there had been significantly larger amounts of rain over an even longer period of time.

The State Agency for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection (Lanuv) reported moderately rising water levels in large parts of the state on Sunday afternoon. At several flood gauges, the water levels exceeded the first threshold during the course of the day, above which the Lanuv warns of the danger of flooded agricultural and forestry areas and slight traffic obstructions. Thus, along the Volme and the Ruhr in the Sauerland, the Sieg in South Westphalia and the Vichtbach in the Eifel, water levels above this threshold were measured on Sunday afternoon.

At the beginning of the new week, it continues to be windy in Bonn and the region. However, the rain has subsided during the night. It is also expected to remain mostly dry with many clouds over the next few days.

(Original text: (dpa/ga)/Translation: Mareike Graepel)