Chaos reigned on German motorways on Thursday, at the start of one of the busiest holiday periods of the year, due to a serious bug in the Google Maps navigation service, which was showing almost the entire country’s road network as closed.

According to the Guardian, drivers using the app, especially in areas around major urban centers such as Frankfurt, Hamburg and Berlin, were confronted with maps that were full of red flags. Similar incidents were reported in parts of Belgium.

Those relying on Google Maps were left with the impression that large parts of Germany were paralysed. The situation was exacerbated by the fact that large numbers of Germans were on the road at the start of a four-day shutdown for the Ascension Day holiday.

Those who used alternative apps, such as Apple Maps or Waze, or turned to radio traffic reports, found that traffic on the supposedly closed roads was proceeding normally. On social media, many users denounced the confusion, while some joked about the situation: “The road system looks like it has pimples.”

Such was the uproar that some did not hesitate to wonder if there had been a terrorist act or even a cyber attack by a foreign country. So far, the cause of the digital glitch remains unclear.

A Google spokesperson told German media that the company is investigating what caused the failure, noting that the maps are constantly updated with information from three main sources: external providers, public transport authorities and individual users. After being informed of the errors by user reports, the process of rechecking and removing the incorrect markings was initiated.

“We cannot comment on individual cases,” the spokesperson said, stressing that the combined sources generally provide a robust and up-to-date database.

Following the incident, authorities recommend that drivers check multiple sources of information before embarking on a trip to avoid similar situations.