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FOOTBALL

Entire football team struck by lightning

A bolt of lightning struck an entire football team that was practicing on a field Friday evening in Wald-Michelbach, Hesse, seriously injuring several players.

Published: 9 August 2008 10:59 CEST
Entire football team struck by lightning
Photo: DPA

Nine of the team members were so extensively injured that they were taken to hospital, police in nearby Darmstadt said. A further 23 people suffered minor injuries.

A 14-year-old boy and a 24-year-old man were flown to intensive care with rescue helicopters. The man had lost consciousness for several hours.

The other 23 injured players and spectators were examined by doctors and treated on the spot.

The lightning bolt struck the football pitch at 7:00 p.m. as the community’s youth and adult teams were holding a training session. Witnesses said the players were literally knocked off their feet.

WEATHER

‘Turbo spring’: Germany to see temperatures above 25C

Germany is set for a blast of warm weather in the coming week as the colder spell eases off.

Published: 26 April 2024 16:56 CEST
'Turbo spring': Germany to see temperatures above 25C

“The late winter weather of the past few days with frost and snow is a thing of the past for the time being, and spring will kick into turbo gear over the next few days,” said meteorologist Adrian Leyser from the German Weather Service (DWD) on Friday.

Temperatures are expected to rise sharply over the weekend with plenty of sunshine, forecasters said. In Germany anything above 25C is classed as a summer day. “The summer mark of 25C will be cracked regionally as early as Sunday,” said Leyser.

It comes as snow and hail hit Germany last week, and temperatures fell below freezing in some places.

But showers and thunderstorms are still possible in the west and north of Germany. Maximum temperatures there are expected to reach around 20C. 

According to the DWD, spring will get a little damper on Monday, with a few rain spells.  “However, the next low pressure system over Western Europe is preparing to turn on the warm air jet again from Tuesday,” said the meteorologist.

On Wednesday – which is a public holiday across Germany for International Workers’ Day – temperatures could soar nearer 30C. 

“In the south and east, we are even approaching the 30C mark,” said Leyser. However, the weather will remain “susceptible to disruption”, said Leyser, especially in the west where there is a risk of isolated and sometimes severe thunderstorms.

READ ALSO: What to do on May 1st in Germany

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