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Thunder-struck rock festival cancels

Last year’s festival was affected by a lightning storm, in which 33 people were injured.

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Performances were suspended on Saturday during continued thunderstorms, forcing numerous 92,000 fans at the open-air event to shelter in cars and tents.

Organisers of the Rock am Ring festival, which is headlined by Red Hot Chili Peppers, said lightning hit at 00:30 local time – around 10.30pm Saturday evening Irish time.

A severe thunderstorm, which left 81 festivalgoers injured, forced Marek and André Lieberberg to cancel the festival with a heavy heart.

Lightning struck a German music festival overnight, injuring dozens.

Organisers said they regretted the decision but accepted it because of the need to ensure the safety of fans.

Event organisers had previously said the festival would continue despite the injuries.

A spokesman for the German Red Cross said 71 people were injured during the lightning strikes in the early hours of Saturday morning, including eight who were taken to hospital.

Organizers on Saturday urged tens of thousands at the festival to seek shelter in their tents or cars, saying local authorities had ordered them to put the festival on hold.

The festival held at a former airfield near Mendig, about around 62 miles (100km) west of Frankfurt, is one of the most popular in Germany.

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”.

Some reports say over 70 attendees were injured from the strikes.

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Just last week in Germany, 35 people were taken to a hospital after lightning struck a children’s soccer match. Romania, Belgium and France have also been hit hard.

People in mud and waterproofs at Rock am Ring