At least eight people have been injured after a tornado struck a German island in the North Sea. The tornado hit a campsite with about 100 people on the island of Duene, off the coast of the larger island Heligoland, at 1315 GMT.

Storms have also hit other parts of the country amid a heatwave in Germany, with temperatures reaching 40C. Two people were seriously injured, and at least six people were less badly hurt, reports say. The tornado destroyed the campsite and knocked over light aircraft at a nearby airfield, according to the DPA news agency. Eyewitnesses described a “black wall” that formed and then dissipated, the news agency said. Several people were injured by flying deckchairs, the ZDF television network reported.  Heligoland itself was undamaged by the storm. Tornadoes form after periods of extremely hot weather, when cooler air moves in. The end of the hot weather has caused disruption elsewhere in Germany.  In the northern town of Nordhorn, a woman was killed by a falling tree. Several train lines were also affected, including the services from Cologne to Dusseldorf and Aachen.

What will you do with your pets when you decide to evacuate from Hurricane Earl? Will you take them to a shelter or take them with you? Know the answer beforehand. Make sure your family and friends know where you are evacuating to and what routes you plan to take to get there. Make sure that the people that care about you have a non-cell phone (landline) phone number to contact you after reaching your destination. Make a goodies bag and/or ice chest with food and drinks for your trip so you don’t have to routinely stop during your evacuation. No matter whether you are steadfast on evacuating or “riding it out” make sure to keep your vehicles full of gas in the days leading up to landfall. A mandatory evacuation may be ordered a day or so before Hurricane Earl hits and you will have no choice but to evacuate. If you stay in your home or a shelter through the storm, often times, gas is difficult to transport into the area after a hurricane has done its damage.

Be Prepared for Hurricane Earl

The most important action you can take before Hurricane Earl arrives is take the time to be prepared and cover all your bases. Don’t assume that Hurricane Earl will make landfall elsewhere. What can you do in advance? You can create a plan with your family and have decisions made before this hurricane becomes a problem. You can create your own “Hurricane Earl Survival Kit” (especially if you are “riding it out”)

Before Hurricane Earl Strikes, Have a Plan

Before Hurricane Earl ever actually forms, you should discuss particulars with your family, loved ones and friends. You should know what size hurricane would cause you to evacuate (you should always evacuate when ordered to do so by your city officials). If Hurricane Earl becomes a category 3 size storm, would you leave 2 days before or 6 hours? Know the answer beforehand. If Hurricane Earl becomes a large enough storm for you to evacuate, you should expect delays and know multiple evacuation routes if possible. You should have a good understanding of the best evacuation routes, normally provided by disaster agencies and your city government and always take a map with you. If you are evacuating in multiple vehicles, make sure to discuss places to meet along your route if you are separated.