3 dead, hundreds injured by rare tornado in Czech Republic
PRAGUE (AP) - A rare tornado tore through southeastern Czech Republic, killing at least three people and injuring hundreds, rescue services said on Friday.
The tornado formed late Thursday as strong thunderstorms hit the entire country. Seven towns and villages have been badly damaged, with entire buildings turned into ruins and cars overturned. Over 120,000 households were without electricity.
Some 360 extra police officers were sent to the area, together with the military. The rescuers from many parts of the country who came to help were joined by their counterparts from nearby Austria and Slovakia.
They were using drones and helicopters to search the rubble.
The regional rescue service said at least three people have died.
"It´s a huge tragedy," Prime Minister Andrej Babis said. Babis was in Brussels to attend an EU summit and was planning to visit the damage-hit region on Friday.
View of the wreckage after a Tornado hit the village of Moravska Nova Ves in the Hodonin district, South Moravia, Czech Republic, on Thursday, June 24, 2021. A rare tornado hit towns and villages in southeast part of the country, injuring some 150 people and damaging hundreds of houses. Some 200 police officers have been deployed in the region to help the rescue workers. (Vaclav Salek/CTK via AP)
Marek Babisz, deputy mayor of Hrusky, told Czech public radio half of his town was almost completely destroyed.
"The church is without the tower, the elementary school has no roof and insulation any more, only walls remained from what were houses. There´re injured, it´s really terrible."
A house is damaged house after a tornado hit the village of Moravska Nova Ves in the Hodonin district, South Moravia, Czech Republic, on Thursday, June 24, 2021. A rare tornado hit towns and villages in southeast part of the country, injuring some 150 people and damaging hundreds of houses. Some 200 police officers have been deployed in the region to help the rescue workers. (Vaclav Salek/CTK via AP)
Houses are damaged after a tornado hit the village of Moravska Nova Ves in the Hodonin district, South Moravia, Czech Republic, on Thursday, June 24, 2021. A rare tornado hit towns and villages in southeast part of the country, injuring some 150 people and damaging hundreds of houses. Some 200 police officers have been deployed in the region to help the rescue workers. (Vaclav Salek/CTK via AP)
Cars and houses are damaged after a tornado hit the village of Moravska Nova Ves in the Hodonin district, South Moravia, Czech Republic, on Thursday, June 24, 2021. A rare tornado hit towns and villages in southeast part of the country, injuring some 150 people and damaging hundreds of houses. Some 200 police officers have been deployed in the region to help the rescue workers. (Vaclav Salek/CTK via AP)
Damaged house after a tornado hit the village of Moravska Nova Ves in the Hodonin district, South Moravia, Czech Republic, on Thursday, June 24, 2021. A rare tornado hit towns and villages in southeast part of the country, injuring some 150 people and damaging hundreds of houses. Some 200 police officers have been deployed in the region to help the rescue workers. (Vaclav Salek/CTK via AP)
A house is damaged house after a tornado hit the village of Moravska Nova Ves in the Hodonin district, South Moravia, Czech Republic, on Thursday, June 24, 2021. A rare tornado hit towns and villages in southeast part of the country, injuring some 150 people and damaging hundreds of houses. Some 200 police officers have been deployed in the region to help the rescue workers. (Vaclav Salek/CTK via AP)
A house is damaged house after a tornado hit the village of Moravska Nova Ves in the Hodonin district, South Moravia, Czech Republic, on Thursday, June 24, 2021. A rare tornado hit towns and villages in southeast part of the country, injuring some 150 people and damaging hundreds of houses. Some 200 police officers have been deployed in the region to help the rescue workers. (Vaclav Salek/CTK via AP)
A house is damaged house after a tornado hit the village of Moravska Nova Ves in the Hodonin district, South Moravia, Czech Republic, on Thursday, June 24, 2021. A rare tornado hit towns and villages in southeast part of the country, injuring some 150 people and damaging hundreds of houses. Some 200 police officers have been deployed in the region to help the rescue workers. (Vaclav Salek/CTK via AP)
Czech Republic's Prime Minister Andrej Babis leaves at the end of the first day of an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels, early Friday, June 25, 2021. At their summit in Brussels, EU leaders are set to take stock of coronavirus recovery plans, study ways to improve relations with Russia and Turkey, and insist on the need to develop migration partners with the countries of northern Africa, but a heated exchange over a new LGBT bill in Hungary is also likely. (Aris Oikonomou, Pool Photo via AP)
