A tornado hit Northern Germany on Tuesday during severe storms that has left at least one person dead and thirty injured.
The violent storms caused widespread damage, ripping tiles off roofs, downing trees and overturning cars, emergency services said on Wednesday.
German media reported wind speeds of up to 119km/h (74mph) in Geilenkirchen north of Aachen.
BYPASS THE CENSORS
Sign up to get unfiltered news delivered straight to your inbox.
You can unsubscribe any time. By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Use
Police in Buetzow reported “severe damage” as a tornado ripped the roofs from buildings, including a hospital which had to be partially evacuated.
The Telegraph reports: Worst hit was the town of Bützow near the northern port of Rostock, where bricks lay scattered in the streets and cars were reportedly thrown meters into the air.
A 26-year-old man was killed in the northern port city of Hamburg when parts of a roof toppled onto his car in the downtown harbourside area, also badly injuring his pregnant girlfriend who was seated next to him.
While tornadoes are frequent across the plains in the United States, where up to 1,000 form every year, it is unusual for large tornadoes to form in Europe.
The swirling storm cloud is created by warm humid air rising and hitting cooler air. As the warm air rises faster, winds from different directions can cause it to rotate, leading to a funnel forming.
Niamh Harris