Overview
- This week’s storms followed several hot days and have driven a sharp rise in lightning strikes across many parts of Germany, increasing the risk of lightning‑related accidents.
- The VDE says hearing thunder means a storm is within about 10 kilometres and a gap of ten seconds or less between lightning and thunder signals acute danger, with safety only restored after 30 minutes without thunder.
- People outdoors should move quickly into a solid building or a closed car because a metal car shell acts like a Faraday cage and channels strike current around occupants.
- High‑risk situations include water, open fields, single trees, mountain ridgelines, golf courses and two‑wheeled travel so swimmers and boaters should leave the water and cyclists or motorcyclists should stop and seek shelter.
- A lightning strike can stop the heart and damage the nervous system; helpers should call 112, it is safe to touch victims, check breathing and give CPR with 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths if the person is not breathing normally, and Germany records roughly 3–4 deaths and about 110 injuries from lightning each year.