Slovenia's second largest city, Maribor, was hit the hardest, with the hail damaging over 70 buildings. Hailstones as big as eggs were bombarding parts of the city, the head of the Maribor branch of the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief, Ivanka Grilanc said.

Some 200 firefighters were called in in Maribor and among other helped pump water out of 95 buildings. Firefighters also had their work cut out for them in various other municipalities across the region.

In the town of Ptuj, the water flooded a camping site, while lightnings caused fires in the town of Ormož and near the city of Celje, where a hangar burnt down at the sports airfield Levec.

The fire at Levec has caused substantial damage, as the hangar, in which at least three gliders and several trailers were stored, burned to the ground, the Celje Police Administration said.

According to Jani Lupše of the Levec volunteer fire brigade, the fire was spreading very quickly, while over 200 firefighters, who fought the blaze, had some trouble getting water. Other facilities at the airfield were saved from fire.

The doomsday weather also caused a lot of trouble in the northern Koroško region, where several building were flooded and traffic was disrupted by fallen trees.

In the south-eastern region of Dolenjsko, fallen trees have disrupted electricity supply and firefighters had to rescue a hiker that found herself stranded during the storm.

Central parts of the country were meanwhile safe from hail and heavy rain, while strong winds uncovered several buildings.

While not all the damage from yesterday's havoc has been repaired yet, new storms and showers are forecast for the afternoon.