Hanover, Germany, 23 December 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Heavy rain and snowfall are expected in some regions of Germany on Saturday after Storm Zoltan ravaged large parts of northern Europe just before Christmas.

The authorities are warning of major flooding in parts of the states of Lower Saxony, Hamburg, Saxony-Anhalt and Bavaria. Fresh snow is expected from the forests in the state of Thuringia to those in Bavaria at altitudes over 600-800 metres above sea level, according to the German Weather Service (DWD).

The DWD said heavy amounts of snow are expected in the central Ore Mountains in Saxony on Saturday, meaning there is a threat of trees falling and branches breaking off.

Slippery conditions due to slush are also possible from eastern Schleswig-Holstein and eastern Lower Saxony to western Poland.

As a result of the continuous rain, precipitation of 60 to 90 millimetres in 48-72 hours is expected in many places, according to the DWD. Storms with 90 to 120 millimetres are also forecast for some regions.

In the eastern low mountain ranges, the precipitation is expected to increasingly change to rain and thaw from Saturday evening.

On Friday, the low-pressure system Zoltan passed over Germany and caused considerable disruption to road and train travel. There were icy road accidents in Lower Saxony and the DWD is investigating a suspected tornado in Cologne.

There were fatalities caused by the storm in the Netherlands and Belgium. The severe storm surge peaked in Hamburg late on Friday morning.

German state-owned railway operator Deutsche Bahn is expecting trains to be very packed over the weekend due to the already heavy Christmas traffic, as well as travellers who had to postpone their journey to the weekend due to the storm.

Photo: EPA