A suspected tornado left a trail of devastation in southeastern Czech Republic on Thursday. According to an initial estimate by the fire brigade, up to 150 people could be injured. In several villages, roofs were covered, window panes were destroyed, trees were overturned and cars were thrown around, the TV station CT reported on Thursday evening. Several buses overturned in the storm in South Moravia. All available forces are on their way to the region, said Interior Minister Jan Hamacek: “Everything that has arms and legs goes there.”
A giant windpipe could be seen in pictures and videos on social media. The two municipalities of Hrušky with almost 1500 and Moravská Nová Ves with around 2600 inhabitants were particularly hard hit. Deputy Mayor Hruškys told the CTK agency that half of the town had been razed to the ground. “Only the walls remain, with no roof and no windows,” he said. The people could not have protected themselves from the storm. Several rescue teams with dogs were on their way to the area to look for possible buried subjects in buildings.
Heavy summer thunderstorms passed through South Moravia, which is known for its wine-growing regions, all evening. The emergency lines were overloaded. Hailstones the size of tennis balls fell in Břeclav and Hodonín counties, according to reports on social media. The Valtice Castle, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was damaged in the millions. Numerous windows shattered on the baroque building from the 17th century.
Břeclav: Twisted masts of a high voltage line on the D2 motorway.
(Photo: äálek Václav / dpa)
The D2 motorway, which leads from Brno to Břeclav, was not passable because a high-voltage line fell on the roadway. Around 32,000 households were without electricity. The government in Prague put forces of the army in readiness for a possible relief operation. Two rescue helicopters were on their way from Austria. The neighboring Slovakia also offered help. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš announced that because of the weather he could not return from Brussels, where he was attending the EU summit.