Lightning strike on the banks of the Elbe in Dresden: several injured - fire department warns of further symptoms

According to the fire department, no other people have reported any symptoms following the lightning strike that injured several people on the banks of the Elbe in Dresden. "During the initial operation, another bolt of lightning struck on the opposite bank," said fire department spokesman Michael Klahre on Tuesday in Dresden. After the accident on Monday evening, it could not be ruled out that other people were affected and subsequently fled. Accordingly, the fire department asked the public to consult a doctor immediately if they experienced symptoms such as a racing heart, heart palpitations, numbness or tingling in the extremities.

Ten people were injured, some of them seriously, in a lightning strike on the banks of the Elbe in Dresden on Monday evening. Four of them suffered such serious injuries that their lives were in danger. Two 27 and 30-year-old men were resuscitated after suffering cardiac arrest.

According to the police, there is currently no new information on their state of health. "We are only informed when one of those affected dies," said a police spokesperson on request. The state of health of those affected is subject to medical confidentiality.

The first lightning strike occurred shortly after 5 p.m. during a thunderstorm on the banks of the Carusufer near the Rose Garden. A total of three women and seven men aged between 26 and 41 were injured. They had complained of typical symptoms following a lightning strike. According to the information provided, all patients received initial emergency medical treatment and were then transferred to nearby hospitals.

Anyone struck by lightning can be seriously injured or killed. On average, around 110 people are injured in Germany every year. The extreme case is rare: With hundreds of thousands of lightning strikes in this country every year, there are an average of four fatalities.