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LIGHTNING

Three killed by lightning strike

Three women are dead and a fourth is fighting for her life after being struck by lightning on a golf course near the central German city of Korbach late on Friday afternoon.

Published: 30 June 2012 09:46 CEST
Three killed by lightning strike
Photo: DPA

The four women had sought shelter in a wooden cabin when a heavy electrical storm broke as they played a round of golf at Waldeck golf course in North Rhine-Westphalia, according to police.

At around 5pm, the cabin roof and a nearby tree were both struck – three of the women were killed instantly, while the fourth was airlifted to hospital in Kessel by helicopter with life-threatening injuries.

The four women, aged 41, 50, 66 and 67 had been on the seventh hole when the storm broke over head. The women took shelter under the wooden hut, which unfortunately was in an exposed position on one of the highest parts of the golf course.

It was an understandable mistake to shelter there, said police spokesman Jörg Virnich. The wisest thing would have for the women to run down in into the valley and turn off their mobile phones, which can act as conductor for the lightning.

Not far away, their husbands had been playing on another course and had to watch as the tragedy unfolded – it was they who alerted the emergency services, said Virnich.

Weather services had issued storm warnings on Friday for several regions in the area and a 32-year-old construction worker was also taken to hospital after being struck by lightning.

DPA/AFP/The Local/jlb

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WEATHER

Germany hit by storms and high winds

After a night of thunderstorms and high winds that knocked down trees and delayed trains, wind warnings are still in place in much of Germany on Tuesday. The coming days are expected to bring cool temperatures and scattered showers.

Published: 16 April 2024 10:20 CEST
Germany hit by storms and high winds

The German Weather Service (DWD) is maintaining wind warnings across much of Germany on Tuesday following severe wind and rain storms that started Monday night.

Wind speeds are most intense in the south. Around Munich, the DWD predicts wind speeds around 65 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 80 kilometres per hour can be expected in exposed locations, along with showers.

In the middle of the country the weather is similar with slightly less intense winds predicted. In Düsseldorf, winds up to around 55 kilometres per hour are predicted.

In the northern regions, no serious weather warnings are in effect.

Showers are also expected across much of the southern, western and northern regions in Germany on Tuesday. In the middle and eastern regions, such as around Erfurt or Dresden, skies are partly cloudy.

In the Upper Harz region, snow fell on Monday night and Tuesday morning. Unusually cold weather is expected to continue there through the weekend.

Looking forward, scattered showers will continue on Wednesday, but the sun can be expected to peek through across much of the country. Northern and eastern cities like Berlin and Hamburg can expect a bit more sun tomorrow, whereas cities in the south can expect a bit more rain.

A mix of sun and scattered showers can be expected to extend through Friday and Saturday, with high temperatures around 12C each day and low temperatures between 2C and 5C at night.

House with wrecked roof

The flat roof of an apartment building in Hesse was damaged by severe winds on Monday night. PHOTO: picture alliance/dpa/5VISION.NEWS | 5VISION.NEWS

Severe storms left trail of destruction

Thunderstorms, strong winds and widespread storms on Monday evening left carnage across Germany. 

Some train passengers experienced delays of four hours on while a number of routes were closed.

On Tuesday morning there are only major delays between Nuremberg and Erfurt, a railway spokesman said.

Tees and branches knocked down by severe gusts of wind caused a series of injuries and traffic disruption.

In Hesse, a motorist and her passenger were injured in a collision with a tree that had fallen due to the storm.The accident occurred on Monday evening in the city of Alsfeld. Both occupants of the car were slightly injured, the 20-year-old was taken to a hospital.

In Bottrop (North Rhine-Westphalia), a 19-year-old pedestrian was injured on her way home from work after a tree suddenly fell onto the sidewalk. The young woman’s legs were trapped under the tree trunk, according to the fire department. In Hattingen in the Ruhr area, a man was injured by a tree falling into a garden.

In Cologne, a city bus was damaged by a fallen tree. The driver was slightly injured and taken to hospital, the fire department said in the evening. Several fallen trees and bent branches hindered traffic in the city.

In Bavaria, three people in a car suffered serious injuries in an accident on the A9.

In Rhineland-Palatinate, the Koblenz police headquarters reported 10 cars in its region that had been damaged by falling trees or other objects. Electricity and telephone lines were also damaged by falling trees. In Ludwigshafen in the Palatinate, trees fell on roads and power lines. Loose roof tiles and fallen construction fences also triggered fire brigade operations.

With reporting by DPA

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