Xavier: Railway traffic in large parts of Germany paralysed

Due to effects of storm deep Xavier, rail traffic in large parts of Germany is paralysed. In north and norast of Germany, routes for long-distance traffic are largely not yet available in morning, said a spokesman for Deutsche Bahn. "Commuters or travelers also have to adjust to impairments on Friday." For example, re will be no trains on Hamburg-Berlin, Berlin-Leipzig or Berlin-Hannover routes in morning. In addition, urban transport in norrn Germany is still heavily affected by severe wear damage.

For S-Bahn network in Berlin, railway reported "massive impairments". In north-east of Germany, re were indications that restrictions in greater Magdeburg, Stendal and Dessau were made. The routes between Dortmund and Hanover, between Dortmund and Osnabrück, as well as between Rhine and Norddeich, are again reusable.

Delays and failures were also affected by areas where storm was not so strong. There was a backlog of trains that, for example, could not drive to Hamburg, he said. Trains would have to wait in Kassel or Dortmund because y could not continue.

In many cities, travellers were stuck at train stations all night. In Hamburg, Bremen, Leipzig, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Bielefeld, Kassel, Hanover and or cities, so-called overnight trains were provided for travellers. At central station in Berlin, re are even two services that would be "well used", says speaker. There were nearly 20 such trains nationwide.

The low was drawn on Thursday with great force over Germany. The fire brigades had to drive thousands of missions, particularly frequently in Hamburg and Berlin. At night to Friday, wear calmed down.

Several people killed

There were four deaths in Brandenburg alone. A 72-year-old man was slain by a tree at Hoppe's Garden when he wanted to remove branches from road. Near Gransee north of Berlin, a branch fell into a windshield and killed a man. In addition, a woman in a car was slain by a tree in same region. Anor person was killed in Müllrose's life.

In Berlin, a woman died when a tree crashed on her car. In Hamburg, a 54-year-old driver was also hit and killed in a car. In vicinity of Schwerin, a truck driver was slain by a falling tree.

Particularly affected by severe wear were Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Berlin and Brandenburg. Hundreds of traffic accidents occurred as a result of storm. In Brandenburg alone re were 24 or injured and more than 100 accidents in addition to four dead.

Sturm Xavier-cleanups last at 115 kilometers swept storm Xavier across north and east of Germany. The storm has caused destruction in many places and paralyzed traffic. Six people died. © Photo: Silas Stein/DPA