You have most likely heard of strong winds that can knock down chimneys, trees, and in extreme cases, even small houses.

But chances are, you have never seen winds that can send humans flying down the street.

That is exactly what happened in western areas of Europe just a few days ago because of the deadly storm nicknamed Friederike. Countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, France, and Belgium were wrecked with winds reaching up to 200 miles (322 kilometers) per hour! Over 260 flights had to be canceled, and dozens of railroads, trucks, and buses were knocked over and damaged due to the intense winds. In fact, eight people have been reported dead, many killed by falling objects because of the storm.

Power outages plagued over 100,000 European residents as power lines fell over. A wolf escaped after strong winds knocked down a fence at an animal sanctuary! The animal was recaptured unharmed several hours later.

Germany reported that Friederike was the worst storm to hit the country since 2007. The storm initially began in Belgium and migrated west. Now that the worst of the storm is over, the wind-torn countries are beginning their extensive cleanup.