Tornado hits western German city; dozens injured, 2 dead

Robert Besser
23 May 2022, 21:35 GMT+10

At least 43 people were injured after a tornado struck the western German city of Paderborn on May 20.
With winds reaching 81 mph, dozens of people were injured as roofs were torn off homes, trees fell and debris flew through the air, authorities said.
Two French citizens died after their motorized paraglider was caught by a strong gust of wind in Ballenstedt, 109 miles southwest of Berlin.

BERLIN, Germany: At least 43 people were injured after a tornado struck the western German city of Paderborn on May 20.

With winds reaching 81 mph, dozens of people were injured as roofs were torn off homes, trees fell and debris flew through the air, authorities said.

Earlier, German meteorologists had warned that heavy rainfall and hail could strike western and central Germany on Friday, with the storms producing dangerous winds. Media reports indicated that storms disrupted traffic, uprooted trees that were blown onto rail tracks and roads, and flooded hundreds of basements in western Germany.

Paderborn police reported that 43 people were injured during the storm. Thirty of the injured were being treated in area hospitals. Ten of those injured were reported in serious conditions, said official.

Also, one woman was listed with life-threatening injuries, police said.

Meanwhile, in the nearby town of Lippstadt winds toppled a church steeple in the town and local media reported that more than 100 people were temporarily trapped in a local open air pool after winds blew over trees that blocked the exit.

In Bavaria, officials said 14 people were injured when the shelter they were in collapsed during high winds in Lake Brombach, south of Nuremberg. Among the injured was a 37-year-old woman who suffered serious injuries.

Also, it was reported that two French citizens died after their motorized paraglider was caught by a strong gust of wind in Ballenstedt, 109 miles southwest of Berlin.

Due to the storm, schools in Cologne closed early so students could return home before before the storms hit the area.

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