Lightning strike in Germany injures 10 people, 4 critical
Dresden, May 21 (IANS/DPA) A lightning strike in the eastern German city of Dresden injured ten people, four of whom sustained severe injuries. According to a fire service spokesman, two men, aged 27 and 30, were successfully resuscitated after experiencing cardiac arrest. Amid severe weather conditions and a passing thunderstorm in Dresden, lightning struck the group on the banks of the Elbe river shortly after 5 p.m. Three women and seven men aged between 26 and 41 were injured. Four of them suffered life-threatening injuries. According to reports, all patients received initial emergency medical treatment and were transferred to neighbouring hospitals. The police cordoned off the area and sent a helicopter to find any other injured people. The emergency services called on people who had been in the area to seek immediate medical attention if they showed symptoms. The fire brigade made a plea on Monday evening to anyone else who may have been injured, as they could not rule out that other people may have been affected and subsequently fled. “If you are experiencing symptoms such as a racing heart, irregular heartbeat, numbness or tingling in your extremities, please see a doctor immediately!” The German Weather Service in Leipzig had warned of severe thunderstorm activity in parts of Saxony. For Dresden, they issued a thunderstorm risk warning of level two out of four. Police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
