Berlin, April 2 (RHC)-- A storm in northern and central Europe has killed at least nine people and injured dozens of others as the severe natural disaster battered through the region, causing travel chaos and destruction. Authorities said on Wednesday that the chaos, which hurricane-strength Storm Niklas brought to Germany, Austria and Switzerland for much of Tuesday, claimed the lives of seven people in Germany.

Storm Niklas, with wind strengths of above 190 kilometers per hour (118 miles per hour), is believed to be one of the strongest storms that has hit Germany since 2007. Niklas began to rage through Europe on Sunday, March 29th.

In Germany, three of the victims died in weather-related car crashes, while another three were killed after trees fall onto their cars by the sudden snow and hail storms in the country’s worst-hit southern region of Bavaria. Another man died when strong hail caused a wall to collapse.

According to Germany’s National Meteorological Service (DWD), Niklas has lost its strength in Germany. However, weaker storms would probably carry on over several days.

The gale, which spread across Scotland, Poland, northern and eastern France before reaching Germany on Tuesday, has left many homes roofless and tens of thousands of households without electricity.