Severe storms sweep Germany, killing one and injuring several
A woman died and several were injured as severe storms battered parts of Germany, causing damage from Rhineland-Palatinate to Bavaria.
A powerful storm system swept across Germany overnight, leaving at least one person dead and several others injured. The severe weather caused extensive damage, including downed trees, torn roofs, and power outages in multiple states.
In the town of Waldorf, Rhineland-Palatinate, a 58-year-old woman was killed when a tree fell onto a covered seating area where she and a 47-year-old companion had taken shelter from the sudden storm. The younger woman was seriously injured and taken to a hospital.
Further east, a tornado struck Fürstenwalde, located about 78 kilometers southeast of Berlin. The twister tore roofs from buildings and damaged several cars with falling trees, resulting in one reported injury.
In western Germany, the town of Höhr-Grenzhausen in the Westerwald district saw walls torn from buildings, affecting at least two homes. Flying debris and uprooted trees added to the destruction, and a widespread power outage hit the area. Strong winds also overturned a truck on the A61 highway.
Emergency services responded to numerous weather-related calls across Hesse, Thuringia, and Bavaria. In Kronach, Bavaria, a village festival was partially evacuated as about 3,500 guests were moved from the outdoor area into beer halls for safety.
In Wetzlar, Hesse, the storm damaged roughly 60 houses, with roofing pieces blown as far as 100 meters away. The German Weather Service has warned that further severe storms could develop later in the day, particularly in the southern states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria.