Thousands of teenage scouts and guides were evacuated from a camp in eastern France after a violent storm overnight. The storm hit the camp organised by the Scouts and Guides France in the city of Strasbourg.
BBC reports that about 15,000 people were evacuated as authorities issued a warning of heavy winds. Rescue workers said 35 people suffered “sprains, fractures or dislocations”, but added there were no serious injuries.
Organisers received a warning from authorities half an hour before the storm hit at 02:00 (00:00 GMT), giving them time to move the scouts and guides to shelter in a nearby arena. Images published by the newspaper L’Alsace showed extensive damage to the site and young people walking in thermal blankets.
The teenagers, from scout and guide associations around Europe, were allowed to return to the site on Saturday morning. There were no reports of significant damage elsewhere in the Alsace region after the storm.
