Chaotic Night in Berlin and Surrounding Areas: Four Seriously Injured, Thousands of Trees Uprooted
Multiple individuals sustain injuries due to storm; Thousands of trees overturned in Berlin's urban landscape - Hurricane leaves numerous casualties in Berlin - Thousands of trees toppled in the city, causing multiple injuries
Let's dive into the messy aftermath of last night's stormy chaos!
In the heart of Potsdam, a devastating turn of events saw a tree branch crush a man and a woman cycling in a nearby park. The 57-year-old woman suffered severely, and the man also received serious injuries. Both were rushed to the hospital, according to reports from the police and the city administration.
Just across the border, Berlin wasn't far from disaster. At least two residents were seriously injured by tumbling trees, fire department reports revealed. The incidents occurred in Reinickendorf district, leaving one tree to rest on a car. The fire department recorded over 760 storm-related incidents in the city throughout the night, with the primary culprits being hundreds of uprooted trees and shattered large branches.
Firefighters had their work cut out clearing passageways in some areas. Roofs were also partially ripped off in certain zones. The city administration disclosed that thousands of trees were uprooted or damaged in western Berlin's forests, making many paths inaccessible, and cleanup efforts are expected to stretch over weeks. Various forest areas have even been closed owing to safety concerns.
The storm front weaved its destructive path across eastern Germany last Thursday. The German Weather Service cautioned about thunderstorms packing storm-force and hurricane-force winds, hail, and torrential rain. The storm saw all S-Bahn traffic in Berlin temporarily cease. The railway company stated that long-distance trains between Berlin and Hamburg were likewise affected, with lingering restrictions apparent in Berlin's S-Bahn network today.
In the leafy landscapes of Potsdam, the fire department battled around 60 storm-related incidents. The Brandenburg districts of Havelland, Oberhavel, and Ostprignitz-Ruppin were also marred by fallen trees and branches causing havoc, damaging houses, cars, and power lines. In the Havelland region, incidents included houses, vehicles, and power lines suffering damage at the hands of trees and branches.
The town of Falkensee bore the brunt of operations, with external firefighters, including those from Potsdam, aiding in the emergency response. Authorities revealed that over 240 storm-related incidents occurred in Falkensee, leading to "storm chaos" with "numerous storm damages" and streets becoming impassable.
Parts of the border regions between Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt, as well as Saxony, were affected too. Near Ziesar in southern Brandenburg, police officers were slightly injured when a tree landed on their car during an operation. In Weißwasser's northern Saxon outskirts, storm winds damaged a building's roof and pelted parked cars with debris.
The Technical Relief Agency (THW) dispatched approximately 360 personnel to storm operations in Berlin, Brandenburg, and sometimes Saxony-Anhalt. Berlin, unfortunately, marked the second round of destruction this week, as a storm on Monday claimed one life and left three individuals severely injured, according to the fire department.
Experts attribute the trees’ vulnerability to the storm damage to their robust summer foliage offering a pristine target for the tempest, as well as losses in vitality after several dry years[1][2][3].
Stay tuned for updates on the recovery effort!
- Storm damage
- Injuries
- Cleanup operations
- Berlin
- Potsdam
- Weather Service
- Hospitals
- Falkensee
- Thunderstorm
- Reinickendorf
- Police
- Woman
- Wind gusts
- Fire Department
- Cars
- Brandenburg
- Tress damaging infrastructure
[1] Berlin authorities and weather service report trees prone to storm damage due to summer foliage and vitality losses
[2] Experts Blame Berlin's Massive Storm Damage on Heavy Rain and Trees' Overgrown Roots
[3] Berlin Hit by a Brutal Storm: Photos and Stories from the Aftermath
[4] Thunderstorm with Wind Gusts Up to 110 km/h in Berlin: 5 Severely Injured, Several Trees Uprooted
[5] Ziros Storm: Berlin and Brandenburg Brace for Aftermath of Wind, Rain, and Damaging Trees
In Potsdam, a tragic incident in a park resulted in a man and a woman being severely injured by a felled tree branch, and ambulance services were swiftly dispatched to the site.
In Berlin, the impact of the storm extended beyond the city center, with several residents sustaining injuries from falling trees and numerous properties suffering damage from uprooted trees and shattered branches, according to the police and fire departments.
