One dead, hundreds evacuated in German freak floods

A flooded street is seen following heavy rainfalls in Hagen, Germany, July 14, 2021. REUTERS/Leon Kuegeler

BERLIN (Reuters) - A fireman drowned and the army was deployed to help stranded residents on Wednesday after heavy rain triggered once-in-25-year floods in parts of western Germany, disrupting rail, road and river transport in Germany's most populous region.

The German Weather Service issued an extreme weather warning for parts of three western states, while Hagen, a city of 180,000, declared a state of emergency after the Volme river burst its banks.