15,000 scouts evacuated from storm-ravaged camp

STRASBOURG (PNA/Xinhua) – Thousands of teenage scouts and guides had to be evacuated from a camp in Strasbourg in the early hours of Saturday morning after it was hit by a violent thunderstorm. Some 15,000 scouts aged 1417 and from 29 countries, had assembled in the French city for a jamboree called ‘You’re Up’. But at 1:40 a.m. the thunderstorm and strong winds swept through the camp ripping up tents and forcing its evacuation. The scouts were housed in a nearby concert and sports venue for the night. Emergency services reported 35 people were injured, some suffering “sprains, fractures and dislocations.” Parents were notified first thing Saturday morning that their children were all safely accounted for. This morning many of the scouts had returned to the camp to help rebuild tents and repair damaged equipment. The scouts had mostly come from other European countries, but some had travelled from as far as Canada to join the jamboree organized by the French Scout and Guide association.