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Powerful storms across Europe kill at least 13 people

Massive storms lashing Europe killed at least 13 people in Italy, Austria and France on Thursday, in the latest extreme weather event to rock the continent this summer, per the BBC.

The big picture: Storm-related deaths were reported in Italy, Austria and on the French island of Corsica on Thursday. Wreckage from the storm system was also reported in parts of Austria and Slovakia.


Meanwhile, streets in Provence, France, and London, England, flooded due to heavy rains on Wednesday.

Zoom in: Authorities said hurricane-force winds of up to 136 mph pummeled Corsica — where at least six people were killed, including a 13-year-old girl, Reuters reports.

In Austria, two children were among five people to die in storms, AP notes.

In Italy, falling trees killed a man and a woman in two separate incidents in Tuscany, and powerful gusts caused damage in Venice, according to the BBC.

Our thought bubble via Axios' Andrew Freedman: This was a rare, long-lived, severe thunderstorm complex that you might see roar across the Midwest during the summer — except this time it crossed national borders.

Threat level: The storms follow a summer of climate change-driven extreme heat and massive wildfires that continue to burn in Europe.

In photos: Destructive storms lash Europe

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin (left) walks by a damaged car during a visit to the Sagone camping site in Corsica on Aug. 18. Photo: Emmanuel Dunand/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
A parasol lies on the ground at Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy, following a storm on Aug. 18. Photo: Andrew Pattaro/AFP via Getty Images
Firefighters recover a souvenirs stall that ended up in the Grand Canal in Venice due to strong winds on Aug. 18. Photo: Andrea Pattaro/AFP via Getty Images
Fallen branches and trees near Lake St. Andrae after a severe storm hit in Lavanttal, southern Austria, on Aug. 18, killing two children. Photo: Georg Bachhiesl/APA/AFP via Getty Images
A car negotiates a flooded section of a London road, as torrential rain and thunderstorms hit England on Aug. 17. Photo: Leon Neal/Getty Images
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