Severe thunderstorm, massive flooding hits Germany

Severe thunderstorms accompanied by large amounts of hail and heavy rain hit parts of Germany on Thursday, May 10, 2018. Floods damaged homes and roads, leaving parts of the region under 1 m (40 inches) of water. A 'once in a century' hailstorm reportedly hit Ginolfs in the district of Rhön-Graber in Hesse.

Northern Germany was hit particularly hard. Fire brigade services were called 2 000 times in Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg with Oststeinbek in Stormarn County (east of Hamburg) and Lohbrügge in Pinneberg district one of the worst affected areas.

Oststeinbek measured a whopping 100 mm (3.92 inches) of rain within just 20 minutes, authorities said, adding that the historic Ostesteinbeks watermill was washed away. "We evacuated three people by boat and 15 minutes later a side wall of the building collapsed," Oststeinbek fire department spokesman said.

15 people were evacuated from a building in Lohbrügge where a huge sinkhole appeared.

There are no reports of deaths or injuries.

Featured image: Aftermath of severe thunderstorms and floods in northern Germany on May 10, 2018.