Europe storms: Children among dead in France, Austria and Italy

Areas of central and southern Europe have been blasted by strong storms that have killed at least 12 people, including three children. In Italy, Austria, and on the French island of Corsica, there were documented deaths, the majority of which were caused by fallen trees.

Campsites on the island were destroyed by strong winds and rain, while in Venice, Italy, stone was blown from the belltower of St. Mark’s Basilica. Following weeks of scorching and drought across much of the continent, the storms hit. Wind gusts of up to 224 km/h (140 mph) in Corsica destroyed trees and harmed mobile homes.

Authorities there said that a 13-year-old girl was murdered on a camping by a tree that fell.

Due to human-induced climate change, extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and storms, have gotten worse and more common in recent years.

Since the start of the industrial age, the world has already warmed by around 1.1C, and temperatures will continue to rise unless governments drastically reduce emissions.

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