Storm system “Herwart” Fire department called out more than 50 times

Bonn · Police and fire department workers got to work early Sunday morning to clear debris caused by storm system “Herwart.” In many places, trees and construction fences were knocked down, hindering road traffic.

Storm system “Herwart” reached Bonn and the region on Saturday overnight into Sunday, with strong wind gusts resulting in damage. In many areas, trees and construction site fences had fallen onto streets, according to a spokesperson for Bonn police. Bad Honnef and Königswinter were one of the focal points for police and fire department workers, but they were also called to Bad Godesberg and Bornheim.

A tree fell on a parked car in Bornheim early Sunday morning, and in Friesdorf, a tree had to be cleared from a road. On Pütschens Chausee in Beuel and on many other streets, construction zone fences were blown onto roads, blocking them. Crews were called in to clear those areas.

The Rhine-Sieg fire department also reported many downed trees which were blocking streets, as well as large branches which had fallen onto cars. The volunteer fire department in Königswinter said on Sunday morning that they had been called out six times in the Siebengebirge (Seven Mountains) to clear fallen trees and branches. The “Drachen Run” with 600 runners had been scheduled for that area but it had to be cancelled.

By Sunday afternoon, the fire department had responded to 50 calls in Rhine-Sieg County. In Bonn, there were just a handful of calls. Officials in Bonn and Rhine-Sieg confirmed that no deaths or injuries were reported as a result of the storm.

Damage and cancelled trains

Because of the storm, there were some trains cancelled in North Rhine-Westphalia and in the whole of Germany. Deutsche Bahn (German Rail) stopped almost all train traffic in northern Germany with many long distance trains ending in Berlin, Hamburg or already in Dortmund. Between Marienheide and Meinerzhagen a tree crashed onto the tracks, so the route had to be temporarily blocked.

Damage was reported in other areas of Germany as well, including Münsterland and East Westphalia. In Lower Saxony, a camper from NRW drowned after being taken by surprise by the storm surge.

Orig. text: ga.de

Translation: ckloep

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