Germany hit by heavy hailstorm, sand shovelers

After a severe hailstorm that struck the city of Reutlingen, Germany, the thickness of the ice went up to 20 inches [30 cm]. This led to snow shovels coming out into the field.

A localised hailstorm <x0... and heavy rain” included the city's central area Friday afternoon, a city official for the AFP news agency said.

Firefighters say they've been called 120 times by citizens after the sudden storm.

The first “Operations were with people locked up in their vehicles unable to move because of the hail on earth and that the doors of cars were blocked, said a spokesman at the emergency response centre.

Snow cars were sent to clear streets of large ice deposits from the hailstorm and more than 250 emergency workers in the city, and volunteers participated in cleaning operations.