One dead and ten injured after rare tornado hits the Netherlands turning town into ‘war zone’
A TERRIFYING tornado has ripped through a city in The Netherlands today, leaving one person dead and at least 10 injured.
The rare storm tore through the roofs and pulled down trees in the Dutch province town of Zierikzee.
Fire crews and ambulances were immediately called to the areas of Calandweg and Havenplein, as the local safety board declared an emergency.
Witnesses reported that the tornado sent roof tiles off their houses, and garden furniture flying across the street.
The frightening moment was captured by locals in the the town.
They shared videos of the dark skies above them as the tornado ripped through the area.
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Others zoomed into the debris flying around the air, as the tornado rotated and a large white funnel appeared above.
Emergency services in the area have urged people to stay at home, and not to try and help as they deal with the aftermath.
They also warned that loose branches and roof tiles still pose a danger to the public.
Police and emergency services have also been assessing the aftermath of the tornado.
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They have been seen boarding up the windows and doors of houses after the strong winds blew them away.
The Zeeland province safety authority said in a statement: “Unfortunately, there was one fatality in the tornado. In addition, the first picture is about 10 more injured. Emergency services are still busy mapping out the total size.
“The damage is considerable in several streets in Zierikzee. In addition to flying roof tiles and fallen trees, roofs have been blown off four houses.”
It has been reported that the tornado came as a storm front was crossing the Netherlands from south to north, causing heavy rain in some parts of the country.
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The town of Zierikzee is located about 140 kilometers (87 miles) southwest of Amsterdam and has some 10,000 residents.
The Netherlands experiences around several tornadoes a year but the last fatal one to hit the country was in 1992, Dutch public broadcaster NOS has said.