Natural forces in Asweiler: devastation by thunderstorms and floods!

Natural forces in Asweiler: devastation by thunderstorms and floods!

devastating forces of nature caused an alarm mood in the St. Wendel district! On July 11, 2023, a tremendous thunderstorm base swept through the Asweiler district and left a swath of destruction. Everywhere there are kinked trees as if they were made of matches, and numerous houses suddenly no longer have any roofs. The emergency services who were on site will probably never forget these terrifying pictures.

But that's not the only time that the region has been hit by natural disasters. As early as November 2022, a tornado devastated parts of Urexweiler and also left massive damage. This year, however, it was not only the wind that demanded the emergency services, but also the water masses during the Pentecost flood. The fire brigade and other rescue workers present these extreme weather events with enormous challenges.

high number of operations and challenges

The fire brigade statistics for 2023 shows that the number of operations remains high. District fire inspector Dirk Schäfer and district fire chief Frank Feid agree: this development will accompany us for a long time. Nature is unpredictable, and the helpers have to prepare for increasingly frequent and more intensive operations. The images of the devastation are not only a wake -up call, but also a sign that the region has to be better prepared for such extreme events.