"BUDAPEST, Hungary (Reuters) -- Two people died and a hundred were injured celebrating Hungary's national day in Budapest as a fierce storm hit the city while hundreds of thousands thronged the banks and bridges of the Danube for a fireworks party.
The sudden storm caught revellers unaware, prompting panic, and more than two boats collided on the Danube as the storm hit just after 1900 GMT when the fireworks party started, state news agency MTI reported.
Two people were killed by a falling tree as they sought shelter, emergency services said.
"Two people died between Margaret Bridge and the Chain Bridge as a tree fell on them," an emergency services spokesman said.
Hungarian state news agency MTI said one more person had also died and 250 people had been hospitalised. The figures from MTI could not be confirmed.
Witnesses said there was panic on the bridges which span the river and that waters had surged through the streets of the city close to the Danube, including a street close to the parliament.
"We were in water up to the knees," said Reuters correspondent Sandor Peto, who had been standing on the Elisabeth Bridge when the storm hit.
The President's palace in the hills of the city was also damaged and people were injured there, MTI reported.
The St Stephen's day event typically attracts many families and police said they were trying to help parents find children who been separated from them in the storm, MTI added."
it was a very frightening shit!
we were sitting on our roof,watching the firework,and almost falled down because of the wind and the icy rain!
The sudden storm caught revellers unaware, prompting panic, and more than two boats collided on the Danube as the storm hit just after 1900 GMT when the fireworks party started, state news agency MTI reported.
Two people were killed by a falling tree as they sought shelter, emergency services said.
"Two people died between Margaret Bridge and the Chain Bridge as a tree fell on them," an emergency services spokesman said.
Hungarian state news agency MTI said one more person had also died and 250 people had been hospitalised. The figures from MTI could not be confirmed.
Witnesses said there was panic on the bridges which span the river and that waters had surged through the streets of the city close to the Danube, including a street close to the parliament.
"We were in water up to the knees," said Reuters correspondent Sandor Peto, who had been standing on the Elisabeth Bridge when the storm hit.
The President's palace in the hills of the city was also damaged and people were injured there, MTI reported.
The St Stephen's day event typically attracts many families and police said they were trying to help parents find children who been separated from them in the storm, MTI added."
it was a very frightening shit!
we were sitting on our roof,watching the firework,and almost falled down because of the wind and the icy rain!
Comment