Tree branch lands on man in Amsterdam killing him; Wind gust blows another off staircase
At least one person was killed in an incident that could be linked to the windstorm that hit the Netherlands on Monday when a falling tree branch struck a man in Amsterdam during the afternoon. Another body was found in the city's Vondelpark earlier in the day, and a strong gust of wind knocked another person off a staircase, causing severe injuries.
Emergency services personnel raced to the Buikslotermeerdijk in Amsterdam-Noord after a body was found in a tent which had been set up along the road, a spokesperson for the police told AT5. At one point, a large tree branch came loose and landed on the tent. The incident may have been caused by a strong gust of wind.
The tree branch struck the victim's head, a police spokesperson told ANP. The man did not have a fixed place of residence. The victim was already dead before they arrived, AT5 reported.
The incident was called in at about 1:50 p.m. Paramedics, police, and fire fighters were dispatched to the scene, along with a a trauma team in a helicopter.
About 20 minutes earlier, several ambulances and an air ambulance were sent to the Burgemeester van Woelderenlaan in Vlissingen, Zeeland after a gust of wind knocked someone off the Leewentrap. The historic concrete staircase is made up of three sets of 16 stairs with two landings in-between.
The person suffered serious injuries after landing hard, reported Omroep Zeeland. They were taken to an area hospital by ambulance before the helicopter was able to land. Meanwhile, rescue workers cordoned off the staircase to prevent more accidents from happening there on Monday.
Sustained winds of up to 74 kilometers per hour were recorded in the area at about the time of the incident, the broadcaster said based on data from the KNMI.
Late on Monday morning, a body was also found near a tree in the Vondelpark in Amsterdam. Police investigating on scene believed the death may have been caused by hypothermia in combination with excessive alcohol consumption, a police spokesperson told AT5.
A portion of the park near Overtoom was cordoned off for part of the morning and afternoon.
