A rare tornado was ripping roofs from houses and overturning cars in the area west of Germany's Dusseldorf. As a result about 50 homes have been destroyed.
Police had to cordon off roads to the town of Boisheim due to the falling trees.
According to the police, a 23-year-old man was seriously wounded after he was hit by a tree branch as he was getting out of his car. Another casualty turned out to be a firefighter who suffered minor injuries due to an electric shock.