Heavy rain in Neumünster: Fire service due to flooding!

Heavy rain in Neumünster: Fire service due to flooding!

On Friday, July 18, 2025, heavy rain occurred in Neumünster, which not only flooded the streets, but also called the fire department into action. At 4 p.m. the heavens began to open and caused real water chaos. Over 80 firefighters and volunteers were deployed on a large scale to pump out basements and secure roads at risk. As kn-online.de reports, numerous emergency calls came in between 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. due to the uncontrollable amounts of water.

The streets of the city center, such as Roonstrasse, Schleusberg and Friedrichstrasse, were particularly affected. The underpass at the train station was also under water and had to be closed by the police. In some areas, particularly in Gadeland, the amount of rain was moderate at around 13 liters, while the city center recorded significantly higher rainfall. The sewer system had great difficulty coping with the volume of water, which led to dramatic flooding that filled many cellars, according to ndr.de.

Floods and chaos

The fire department and Neumünster municipal utilities were not the only ones who were called upon. The sewer system also reached its limits, which had devastating consequences and led to similar problems in numerous neighboring towns. Particularly spicy: masses of water in the sewer system hit hot district heating pipes, which led to clouds of steam coming out of storm drains. Despite the chaos, no injured citizens were reported by evening. Doesn't that make you think? This type of extreme weather event is no longer an exception in Germany.

The floods are a clear sign of climate change, which, according to an analysis by the Federal Environment Agency, is increasingly leading to such extreme weather conditions. Unchecked climate change has contributed to an increase in heavy rainfall events in recent years, which will not decrease in the future (umweltbundesamt.de). Municipalities are called upon to take measures to adapt. Initiatives such as the “Regen//Sicher” project from the Federal Environment Agency aim to help cities and communities better prepare for extreme events and take precautions.

Protective measures and future outlook

The focus is on precautions such as installing backflow flaps and creating infiltration areas. Cities that are already actively working on adaptation show that innovative drainage planning and information campaigns for citizens make sense and are necessary. The challenges associated with heavy rain are increasing and people should be better prepared for such events. It is worth thinking about the possibilities of how the effects of such weather events can be reduced in Neumünster.

In view of the recent weather conditions, a loud warning is due to all municipalities: act now before it is too late again! Climate change will not wait, and masses of water can significantly impact not only infrastructure, but also the quality of life of citizens.