Heavy thunderstorms bring large hailstones, rail disruptions to Czechia

Heavy thunderstorms hit many parts of Czechia on Friday and early Saturday, passing across the country from west to east. The storms brought hailstones of up to eight centimetres in diameter and winds of up to 100 kilometres an hour.

Around a dozen railway lines were left impassable, most often due to fallen trees or damaged overhead lines, and fire brigades around the country were called out several hundred times. As of 10 am on Saturday around 30,000 households were without power.