Emily Cunningham

Two weeks ago, on Sat 15th of June, Geneva was hit by a monster storm, with high winds, huge hail and bucketing fall of lashing rain. I was caught outside in it. I sheltered with terrified families & kids in a bus shelter. Kids stood on the bench, adults tried to stay in shelter.

Then the bus shelter started flooding from all the rain, with swirling dark water. We were pushed outward towards the hail. I had an umbrella and was trying to keep it open to stop the hailstones from hitting us, but the hail hit my legs. It left bruises. Finally a bus came.

I got on with two kids who were on their way home (guess 10-11-12 years old?). They were terrified out of their wits. I told them I would help them home. But it was not straightforward. We had to change from bus to tram, and we had to cross 3 streets. The kids were so scared ...

of the pounding hail and howling wind that they were running across the streets without paying enough attention to the cars. We made it to the tram stop, and they calmed down a bit when we were on the tram which thank goodness came fast. They promised me they lived VERY close ...

to a tram stop and that they didn't need me to accompany them to their building (weird stranger lady - I understood they didn't want to take me to their house as well). I trust they made it back ok. As I continued on the tram, I saw flooded streets. Big, new streets, actually.