| Type | Tornado outbreak |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3–4, August 2008 |
| Tornadoes confirmed | 13 confirmed |
| Max. rating1 | F4 tornado |
| Duration of tornado outbreak2 | ~28+1⁄2 hours |
| Fatalities | 3 fatalities (+1 non-tornadic), ≥ 50 injuries |
| Damage | Several million Euros |
| Areas affected | France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado | |
The August 2008 European tornado outbreak was a widespread severe weather event which spawned thirteen tornadoes in four countries, one of which killed three people in France. This particular tornado reached F4 intensity.[1]
Tornadoes are amongst the most costly natural hazards in Poland. On 15 August 2008, a tornado resulted in damage to 1624 buildings in the provinces of Opole, Katowice and Łódź. In the aftermath of this disaster, a damage survey was performed which is presented in this paper. While the tornado was passing, the peak gust wind velocities were estimated to be from 52 m/s (187 km/h) to 72 m/s (259 km/h) in the studied area. For low-rise brick buildings, which are common in Poland, some design details for the current building standards are suggested. They can lead to the improvement of building technology used in this type of buildings in order to mitigate the effects of extreme winds, which occur in tornadoes.[citation needed]