Strong thunderstorms accompanied by high winds and torrential rains hit the Czech Republic on Thursday, leading to two deaths, officials said.
Police said the victims’ car was hit by a falling tree near the town of Pisek in the southern Czech Republic. Two children who were also in the car were injured and taken to hospital. Police said the dead were not the children’s parents.
In the southwestern Czech Republic, a railway track was blocked by fallen trees while another one was flooded.
Meteorologists issued a warning against extreme thunderstorms that were forecast to hit the central part of the country.
“The most affected are Písek and the České Budějovice region,” said Vendula Matějů, a spokeswoman for the South Bohemian fire brigade.
Firefighters have intervened in the Klatovy region, removing uprooted or fallen trees.
Between 17:00 and 18:00, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute also recorded the largest precipitation in the Pilsen Region.
A rare tornado believed to be the most devastating in the country´s modern history torn through the southeast Czech Republic two weeks ago, killing six people and injuring hundreds.
The tornado touched down as strong thunderstorms hit the entire country. Seven towns and villages sustained heavy damage that included over a thousand buildings turned to rubble and overturned cars.
