33 people were injured at the festival past year by lightning strikes.
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Festival organizers temporarily suspended shows on Saturday, but a late-day update indicated the threat of thunderstorms had eased enough for evening shows to go ahead, though concert-goers were warned of the chance of showers.
Earlier, police sources said that at least 15 people were in serious condition, and two of them had to be revived after lightning strikes and heavy rain destroyed a number of tents on the old Mendig airfield.
In 2015, more than 30 Rock am Ring fans were hospitalised after two bolts struck the site.
“Visitors’ safety is our top priority”, said Schulenberg.
The festival – a major event including headliners like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Black Sabbath, and including some Canadian acts like Billy Talent – attracted around 90,000 attendees this year according to the BBC.
The event website initially reported 42 people were injured during lightning strikes on Friday, but the numbers rose to more than 80. Performances resumed around 9:45 PM when the weather had relatively cleared and the organizers are intent that the remainder of the festival will be unaffected despite more bad weather expected to roll through.
Given the forecast for more storms during the rest of the weekend, Roger Lewentz, interior minister for the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, in which the festival is taking place, told dpa: “I don’t expect Rock am Ring to take place on Sunday”.
Residents evacuated following a landslide were allowed to return to their homes in the southwestern town of Schwaebisch Gmuend.
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At least 17 people have been killed in the flooding, including 11 in southern Germany and four in France.
