Germany hit by record-setting heat, severe thunderstorms

Germany's weather service has reported the highest temperature on record. At least 12 have drowned in mishaps as people sought to escape one of the worst heat waves to hit central Europe in years.

Deutsche Welle, 6 July 2015

The DWD German weather service reported on Sunday that it had recorded a temperature of 40.3 degrees Celcius (104.5 degrees Fahrenheit) in the Bavarian town of Kitzingen.

This was the highest temperature measured in Germany since the widespread recording of temperatures began in 1881, just slightly above the previous record of 40.2 degrees.

In a country in which rain and chilly temperatures are often the norm in summer months, many people struggled to endure the hottest weekend that Germany has experienced in years. This led many people to try to cool off in public swimming pools and natural bodies of water.

This ended in tragedy for some, with the authorities reporting at least 12 swimming-related deaths over the weekend.

In the southern state of Bavaria, a four-year-old child drowned in a man-made lake, while a six-year-old child was swept away by the current of the River Rhine in Cologne. In the western town of Siegen, a boy drowned in an outdoor pool. Other drowning were reported in the states of Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, Hamburg and Brandenburg.

Several other people were still reported to be missing on Monday morning.

The high temperatures also contributed to severe thunderstorms in many parts of Germany on Sunday, uprooting trees and blocking some major train lines and autobahns.

Some homeowners were forced to contend with flooded cellars and at least two people were injured in lightning strikes.

Germans, though, could look forward to more moderate conditions as they started their working week on Monday, with the DWD predicting a mix of sun and cloud with highs below 30 degrees for most of the country.

pfd/jil (dpa, ARD)