North Rhine-Westphalia is hit by severe storms.
The masses of water are already claiming victims.
Two firefighters die in action.
Altena / Werdohl - After the heavy storms and continuous rain, the situation in large parts of Germany is tense.
Parts of North Rhine-Westphalia were also badly hit.
Throughout the night, emergency services fought against the masses of water.
For two of them, the mission was fatal.
In Altena in the Sauerland, a 46-year-old firefighter died while rescuing a man.
He was swept away by the masses of water and drowned.
The police in the Märkisches Kreis confirmed this on Wednesday.
Storm in North Rhine-Westphalia: Two firefighters die in action
Just two hours later, the next drama in the same circle.
During an operation in the area of the power plant in Werdohl-Elverslingen, only a few kilometers from Altena, a fire fighter collapsed.
Despite resuscitation and relief measures, the helper died, the police said.
Assume a health emergency.
In Altena - as in many other places - cellars and streets were flooded.
The Lenne River, which overflowed its banks, further exacerbated the situation there.
The water ran into the city center.
Altena was "as good as unreachable," said the police in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, a video showed a spectacular rescue operation by the fire brigade *.
North Rhine-Westphalia badly hit by storms - evacuations in Wuppertal
In Hückeswagen in the Oberbergisches Kreis, the Bevertalsperre overflowed due to the heavy rainfall. The water is currently running
uncontrolled over the edge of the dam, said a spokesman for the control center early Thursday morning. More than 1000 people had to leave their homes. After enormous rainfall, the authorities in the Bergisches Land feared an uncontrolled overflow of the Wupper dam near Radevormwald. According to a spokesman for the Oberbergischer Kreis control center, fire brigade forces can now drain the water in a controlled manner. For security reasons, the residents of the Wupper in Radevormwald were asked to leave their apartments late in the evening, including with loudspeaker announcements. A care
center was set up
in a primary school in
Radevormwald
for those affected
.
Several houses and an animal shelter were evacuated in Solingen-Unterburg early Thursday morning due to the flood.
The water inflow is currently unabated, as a spokesman for the Wuppertal police headquarters announced.
Accordingly, the water is currently being drained by fire fighters, which affects the urban area.
The residents could be accommodated in emergency shelters and some with friends.
The situation in the Eifel was also dramatic.
Several houses collapsed here.
* Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
