Videos show destruction: one fatality - tornado rages in the Dutch North Sea holiday region
Created: 06/27/2022, 21:01
By: Patrick Mayer
Heavy damage: Zierikzee in Zeeland after the tornado.
© SERGEY BOBOK / ANP / AFP
On the North Sea coast, a tornado causes destruction in a holiday region popular with German tourists.
There is at least one fatality and several injured.
Munich/Zierikzee – At the beginning of the week the weather on the Dutch North Sea coast was not as hot as in large parts of Germany, where there was a risk of severe thunderstorms and heavy rain – for example on the edge of the Alps in Bavaria.
And yet, right there on Monday (June 27), a natural phenomenon wreaked havoc and destruction.
Zierikzee: Heavy tornado devastates tourist hotspot on the Dutch North Sea coast
Specifically: A tornado passed over the small town of Zierikzee (population around 12,000) in Zeeland, which is popular with German tourists, and caused considerable damage in several streets.
According to authorities, there should be one fatality.
In addition, the ZDF reports at least ten injured.
"The damage is considerable in some streets of Zierikzee," said the rescue services of the city, which is located in the extreme south-west of the Netherlands: "In addition to flying roof tiles and fallen trees, the roofs of four houses were blown off."
Videos from private users circulating on Twitter are said to show the full force of the tornado moving through the small town on the island of Schouwen-Duiveland in the Dutch province of Zeeland.
Zierikzee is known for a picturesque old town with houses in the neoclassical style and is therefore particularly popular with day tourists.
Diplom meteorologist Dominik Jung, managing director of the weather service
Q.met
., had also warned of possible tornadoes for parts of Germany.
“Today, so-called downbursts or even tornadoes are a threat in the event of particularly severe storms.
Hail, heavy rain and squalls are also to be expected," said Jung: "The current weather week will be quite turbulent at times."
Zierikzee: Tornado causes considerable damage to the Dutch North Sea coast
On average, the Netherlands experiences several tornadoes per year.
According to the public broadcaster NOS, there has not been a tornado with a fatality for decades.
The last time there was such a hurricane was in 1992, it is reported.
In contrast, no tornado was reported from German North Sea regions.
There was also no corresponding severe weather warning from the German Weather Service (DWD) until Monday evening.
Meanwhile, in Zierikzee, the damage is being cleaned up and cars are being freed from fallen trees.
(pm)
