At least one person has lost their life and three others have been seriously injured after the strong storm that has hit the region of Saxon Switzerland, in the federal state of Saxony, in eastern Germany, local authorities reported this Friday.
Emergency services have indicated that, for now, there is no record of missing persons. A spokesperson for the Dresden Emergency Coordination Center specified that the fatal victim is a 28-year-old man who died near the Felsenbühne open-air theater in the town of Rathen after a tree fell on him.
The latest balance provided by the coordinating body raises the total number of injured to ten, of which three have serious injuries. In addition, about 40 people have had to be evacuated from the affected area, where search and ground inspection tasks will continue throughout Saturday.
Authorities have closed both the Amselgrund valley, one of the most visited natural spots by hikers, and the nearby Amsel lake, while inspection work continues.
"The situation on the ground is very confusing," a police spokesperson has stated, explaining that the lack of visibility during the night has complicated the rescue teams' actions. In this regard, he added that it is expected to be possible to assess the extent of the damage more accurately when dawn breaks.
Before the arrival of the storm, the German Weather Service (DWD) had issued warnings for severe storms in much of Saxony, alerting to the risk of lightning strikes and the possible fall of trees and other objects. Among the areas included in the warning is the district of Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains, where Rathen is located.