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AT LEAST NINE people lost their lives as a powerful storm barrelled through central Europe, causing traffic chaos and leaving thousands without electricity.
Seven people perished on Tuesday in Germany, where Storm Niklas strengthened into a hurricane in some areas, packing winds of more than 190 kilometres an hour.
Three drivers were killed by falling trees, while another three died when they were caught in sudden snow and hail storms that battered the country’s south.
One man was also crushed to death when gales caused a wall to collapse.
In Austria, a 63-year-old man died as he tried to fix his roof, while a nine-year-old girl was injured by a falling tree.
Niklas also claimed a life in Switzerland, when a tree crushed a 75-year-old motorist.
The violent storm spread across Scotland, Poland as well as northern and eastern France, before reaching Germany on Tuesday.
Road and rail traffic disrupted by the bad weather in central Europe returned to normal on Wednesday but the storm has left many homes without a roof and tens of thousands of households without electricity.
- © AFP 2015.
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I knew the weather was bad but to take lives? RIP. Global warming?
No no…its just bad weather. Been happening for millenia
Happening more frequently and with greater intensity now than at any time since weather records began though – food for thought…
Incorrect, look up the global average cyclonic energy index and you’ll find the fact is opposite of your statement.
Global Warming was re-branded to Climate Change long ago
RIP
Actually climate scientists have always called it climate change. Global warming was a media brand.
Interesting ACE data Mark. Overall it seems pretty robust. NASA have found that storms are indeed increasing in intensity, but are actually reducing in number. Perhaps in the age of instant media they’re just being reported on far more often than they would have in the past?
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/ClimateStorms/?src=twitter&src=share
@Avina
I think the media certainly plays a factor in the perceived number of storms, let’s say, there is a cyclone in the Pacific hitting Indonesia, a few decades ago, you may have heard about it, two / three days after it happened, whereas nowadays you’ll see it instantly and with colour pictures
Some people are just to thick to write such a comment!!!!
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