Storm in Germany: up to 40 injured in Paderborn

In a severe storm today in the Paderborn area in Germany, 30 to 40 people were injured, at least ten of them seriously. “During a thunderstorm on Friday afternoon, a tornado cut a path of destruction from west to east through the middle of Paderborn in the direction of the eastern parts of the city,” said the police.

Officials reported millions in damage. In an industrial area, roofs were torn from halls. Sheet metal, insulation and other materials were flown for kilometers. The fire brigade also reported a suspected tornado in Lippstadt, about 35 kilometers away, which had caused serious damage.

A fire department spokesman said there were destroyed roofs and fallen trees throughout the city. Windows shattered and cars were destroyed by falling branches. The municipality of Altenbeken near Paderborn reported that some of the trees had already snapped at the trunk – as if hit by a giant’s hand.

For the region, the German weather service (DWD) had at times issued the highest severe weather warning level 4 – “extreme thunderstorms” with hailstorms, heavy rain or extreme hurricane gusts. A DWD spokesman said that several reports of tornadoes had been received – not only from Lippstadt, but also from Lüdenscheid and Meschede. However, these reports still need to be verified.

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