20 May 2024 , 10:39
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Thirty-eight people were taken to hospital after two lightning strikes hit a children’s camp in Germany.
A number of the youngsters staying at the ‘Pentecost tent camp’ in Soest district, North Rhine-Westphalia complained of a tingling sensation after the lightning struck the site this afternoon.
The ‘house-shaking’ lightning hit the site at around 1.46pm as a violent storm passed through the area, WDR reported.
Sixty-two people including children and camp workers were examined by emergency services and 38 were taken to hospital for observation.
Their heart and circulation will be monitored as a precaution.
European weather service Kachelmannwetter said the first lightning strike at 1.46pm was a ‘wild house shaker’ – the forecaster’s classification for ‘extremely strong’ bolts that exceed 100 kiloamperes, given they can create sonic shockwaves that rattle houses.
The lightning that hit the camp measured 119 kiloamperes.
Kevin Hoebusch, a Soest district fire brigade spokesperson, told Soester-Anzeiger that the thunderstorm ‘spontanouslely’ formed and lightning struck ‘in a very short space of time’.
Some 100 firefighters attended what was described as a major operation.
The children were reportedly part of a youth fire brigade camp. Around 500 youngsters and 200 carers were staying at the site.
Camp attendees were sent a message on NINA, an emergency alert app, saying: ‘All people who were on the site at the time of the thunderstorm and who subsequently experienced symptoms should seek medical treatment on their own.’
Those not taken to the hospital have been moved to an old rocket station in the Soest-Ruploh area.
Describing the incident, Thomas Wienecke, chief of the district’s fire department, said: ‘The people who were nearby felt the lightning strike strongly. They subsequently complained of tingling in their arms and legs.
‘We spoke to everyone affected and everyone feels very well looked after. Ultimately, 38 people have to go to hospital. You just have to be on the safe side with them.’
Organisers said there had been no warning from German forecasters that a thunderstorm of that size would hit the area, reports WDR.
The camp will open as normal tomorrow from 8am.