Storms strike Europe, cutting power and disrupting flights and communications
Amman4 min read
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A man was killed after a tree fell on him in southwest Scotland, while a runner participating in a marathon in northern France was injured when strong winds knocked down a tree during the race.
Authorities in Britain, France, and Germany announced that the passage of storms "Bualo" and "Austin" 24 hours apart caused power outages for more than 82,000 homes in Britain, about 60,000 homes in France, and at least 10,000 in Germany.
Winds reaching 135 kilometers per hour were recorded in the Argyll and Bute region of western Scotland. Roads and railway lines across Scotland and northern England were blocked by trees and power lines downed by the storm.
The Energy Networks Association in Britain reported that more than 400,000 homes experienced power outages at various times during the two storms.
The fierce winds also hit northern France on the other side of the English Channel, as Europe faces its first major autumn storms of the year. Experts have warned of an increase in extreme weather phenomena due to global warming.
Authorities have warned of the risk of flooding in areas of Scotland and England.
In the northern French city of Lille, a runner was injured near the starting point of the city's marathon, which was held for the first time in 31 years.
- Widespread power outage -
The French electricity distribution company "Enedis" announced that about 288,000 homes were deprived of power as storm "Austin" intensified on Saturday.
About 59,000 homes remained without electricity on Sunday afternoon, mostly in the Normandy and Brittany regions. The company explained that 2,600 of its technicians and contractors' employees are working to restore power.
In Germany, "Austin" caused power outages on Sunday for 10,000 homes in and around the southwestern city of Freiburg im Breisgau. The city's main hospital announced that it had to limit its services to emergency cases due to the power outage, which also disrupted the mobile phone network.
The German Meteorological Service forecasted that severe winds would continue on Sunday, reaching speeds of 100 kilometers per hour on the northern coast.
The storms also hit the Netherlands and Belgium, where four people were injured due to falling trees in Brussels on Saturday.
Hundreds of flights were canceled or diverted to other airports due to the storms across northern Europe.
Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, one of Europe's busiest airports, canceled dozens of flights on Sunday. Agence France-Presse counted on the airport's website that about 90 flights were canceled, mostly to European cities including Paris, Rome, and Dublin. Dozens of flights scheduled to land there were also canceled.
Flights in northern England and Scotland were also affected by the storms.
Storm "Bualo" caused power outages for tens of thousands of homes in the north of the UK on Sunday, as strong winds and heavy rain battered the region, also leading to disruptions in transport services.
"Bualo" is the second named storm in Britain this season, coming shortly after storm "Austin," which brought strong winds to the southern parts of the country on Friday.
The Energy Networks Association, an industry body, reported that more than 82,000 properties were still without power as of 8:00 AM (08:00 GMT).
It added that it has restored power to about 350,000 customers since storm "Austin" hit the country.
Northern Ireland was affected by the storm, with a number of flights departing from Belfast being canceled. Ferry sailings across the Irish Sea between Belfast and northwest England were also canceled.
Britain's meteorological office warned that storm "Bualo" poses a danger to life due to flying debris and high waves, urging residents to stay indoors as much as possible.