Devastating storms thrash Germany
Dozens of people have been injured after bad weather struck Germany over the weekend. Lightning and thunderstorms have also affected the neighboring countries of Poland and France.
Bad weather warning
Several parts of Germany experienced rainy and stormy weather this weekend, with many areas submerged in water. Transport services were affected by landslides and flooding in several regions of the country.
Lightning strikes during football match
At least 35 people, including children, were injured after lightning struck a football pitch in Hoppstädten, in Germany's southwestern state of Rhineland-Palatinate. A 45-year-old referee at the game was directly hit. Doctors succeeded in reviving him at the hospital.
Water on the streets
Heavy rains in Nürtingen, in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg, caused water to fill up in the town's low-lying roads. Firefighters and rescue personnel spent a busy night clearing mud and sludge from roads.
Rescue gone wrong
Three men were trying to release their birds from an aviary when they were caught unawares by the rising water level. They climbed onto the roof of the birdhouse and were later rescued by firefighters.
Hailstorms in Bavaria
The Bavarian town of Hemau witnessed severe hailstorms. Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Hesse are the other German states affected by "Elvira," a low-pressure condition over central Europe.
Lightning strikes in France, Poland
At least 11 children were injured when lightning struck a park in the French capital on Saturday. In Poland, lightning struck and killed a 40-year-old mountaineer in the Beskid region. Three others were struck by lightning in the same area.
Honorable rescue efforts
Rescue efforts continued into the nights, as many people were stranded and needed help over the weekend. A small town in the eastern part of Baden-Württemberg experienced flooded roads and destroyed property.
Heavy storms rip through neighborhoods
The town of Braunsbach in Baden-Württemberg was devastated by storms over the weekend, when heavy rain and flash floods uprooted trees and destroyed residential property. Cars and trucks were carried away in the floods, and smashed into nearby homes and businesses.
Rescue efforts continue
On Monday morning, rescue personnel continued their efforts to clean up towns affected by the destructive storms. Brave men and women dug through debris as high as houses to help those in need.
More storms to come
Meteorological experts have forecasted more bad weather for the coming days. Storms and heavy rain are expected to occur almost all over Germany well into next week.