Normality and order slowly returned to Germany on Friday after it was battered by winter storm "Friederike."

At least eight people died across the country as winds up to 203 kilometers per hour (126 miles per hour) lashed western Europe on Thursday.

Read more: Deadly storm Friederike wreaks havoc across Western Europe

From Amsterdam to Munich, Friederike uproots European life Trains halted A tree is lying on the tracks in the western German region of Westphalia, which was one of the hardest hit by Friederike.

From Amsterdam to Munich, Friederike uproots European life Hold on to your hats - and each other! People held onto each other in the western city of Cologne as they struggle during heavy winds.

From Amsterdam to Munich, Friederike uproots European life Trucks toppled Friederike caused several buses to flip onto their sides - this accident happened near the western city of Bonn.

From Amsterdam to Munich, Friederike uproots European life Deadly trees Uprooted trees and branches injured and, in some cases, killed people as Friederike tore through western Europe.

From Amsterdam to Munich, Friederike uproots European life A potentially dangerous landmark People were kept away from Cologne's iconic cathedral on Thursday as authorities were concerned gusts of wind could blow pieces of stone from the building's facade.

From Amsterdam to Munich, Friederike uproots European life Stuck in the station Train travelers in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia didn't get to watch the landscape slide past on Thursday afternoon. Rail travel was also halted across the Netherlands.

From Amsterdam to Munich, Friederike uproots European life Stopped cold in Hamburg Some drivers defied warnings and attempted to navigate the snow and winds in Hamburg, Germany's northernmost major city.

From Amsterdam to Munich, Friederike uproots European life A day off Schools sat shuttered in the Lower Saxony region of Oberharz as snows from Friederike piled up outside.

From Amsterdam to Munich, Friederike uproots European life A big snowy mess to plow Friederike's winds and rain were strongest in northwestern Germany and the neighboring Netherlands and Belgium. However, the storm left deep snow in the Black Forest and across the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg.

From Amsterdam to Munich, Friederike uproots European life Bad memories Friederike is the biggest storm to hit Germany and the region since October's Xavier, which shuttered transit stations and tore trees right out of the ground — and sometimes both at once — in Berlin.



Surveying the damage

Regional and some long-distance trains resumed service on Friday after rail traffic was suspended across Germany. Many lines remained affected, though, with repairs required on at least 200 sections.

Air traffic was largely back to normal after several airports suspended services.

Eight people in Germany, including two firefighters, were killed by falling trees, traffic accidents and other incidents caused by the storm. At least 12 people died across Europe.

The Bundeswehr deployed tanks to help with rescue operations in Bad Salzungen after a volunteer firefighter was killed attempting to free a man from his vehicle.

A woman gave birth in her own car after road closures in Cologne halted her journey to the hospital and delayed emergency vehicles. Emergency workers guided the couple over the phone to deliver baby Anton.

Some major roads remained closed on Friday with wind gusts expected to continue in Germany's coastal areas in the north and its mountainous regions through Friday.

Thousands of households were without electricity in eastern Germany on Friday, with around 14,000 people affected. In some cases, utility workers couldn't reach power lines because of fallen trees and blocked roads.

How Deutsche Bahn reacted

"In large parts of Germany, neither air, nor car, nor rail transport was possible," said Berthold Huber, Deutsche Bahn's board of management member responsible for passenger transport. "The decision to put the safety of our passengers and staff above everything else was the right one," he said, referring to the decision to halt all long-distance trains during the storm.

But Germany's train drivers union, GDL, criticized Deutsche Bahn's response to the storm, calling the nationwide stoppage excessive.

"Suspending rail traffic across the country when there are only extreme weather conditions in certain places is a jump too far," union chief Claus Weselsky told public broadcaster MDR.

A Deutsche Bahn spokesman told dpa news agency early Friday that "the first long-distance trains are en route."

"We expect that in the course of the morning, all large cities will be able to be reached with long-distance trains — with some restrictions," a statement said.

Read more: German high-speed train breaks down on return from Berlin-Munich maiden voyage

How much damage did the storm cause? The German Insurance Association estimated insured losses at €500 million ($612 million), but that did not include uninsured losses. Actuaries at the consulting firm Meyerthole Siems Kohlruss put insured losses at around €800 million. Deutsche Bahn estimated its repair costs at several million euros.

Do storms often cause train chaos? Trains are often delayed or canceled due to weather. But the last time Deutsche Bahn canceled all long-distance trains throughout Germany was in 2007.

How did this storm compare to previous storms? "Friederike" was considered to be the strongest storm in Germany since "Kyrill" in 2007, which insurers said cost €2 billion, but 2015's "Niklas" caused slightly worse damage.

What happens next? Rail authorities are surveying lines with helicopters, and then testing them with empty trains before opening them to passengers.

aw, rs/sms (AFP, dpa, Reuters)