Storm Xavier leaves trail of destruction across northern Germany
Deadly storm Xavier swept across northern Germany on Thursday killing at least seven people and leaving hundreds stranded. The Category 3 storm uprooted trees and tore roofs off buildings as it crossed over three states.
Fateful drive
Storm Xavier, which reached speeds of up to 115 kilometers per hour, killed at least seven people. Five of them died in their vehicles. One woman was killed in Hamburg (above) after a tree fell onto her car.
A mighty blow
The deadly storm caused a large, heavy crane in the North Sea port city of Wilhelmshaven to fall into the Jade River.
'Most powerful storm'
Some of the eyewitnesses in the German capital said Xavier was the most powerful storm they had experienced in years. It uprooted trees as it crossed over, including this one that fell on an entrance to a tram station.
Major travel disruptions
Hundreds of people were stranded in Berlin as their trains were canceled. Deutsche Bahn canceled several long-distance trains in the storm-affected states. Bremen and Hanover airports canceled some international flights.
Calls for help
Emergency services received over 1,000 calls. People were warned to stay indoors as the storm passed.