Storm Ciarán batters Europe with warnings over Mediterranean coast
Flights have been cancelled, Eurostar services disrupted and rail networks almost completely shut down as Storm Ciarán battered Europe’s Atlantic coast, knocking out power lines and leaving one person dead in France.
Eurostar advised people to postpone journeys where possible, with four trains cancelled on routes to and from London on Thursday and other services “subject to delays caused by speed restrictions on the line”.
While the Atlantic coast bore the brunt of the storm, there were even warnings about France‘s Mediterranean coast and Corsica.
French electricity operator Enedis reported that 1.2 million people lost power after trees fell on electricity lines and pylons were blown down, with connections still not restored by lunchtime.
People in Brittany were warned not to approach the coastline as fierce winds of nearly 200kph (124mph) were recorded on Thursday.
Waves of eight to ten metres high were expected and flood warnings issued. Roads were lined with fallen trees and some routes were closed to cars, for example in the Finistère department in Brittany, where obstacles were strewn across the streets.
A lorry driver was killed in the Aisne district in northern France after a tree fell on the cabin of his heavy-goods lorry before dawn, while 16 more people were reported injured in France alone, including seven firemen.
With much of the country on red alert, French transport minister Clément Beaune warned the public that even in regions spared the worst, there could be high risks and danger on roads. “We see how roads can be fatal in these circumstances,’’ he told broadcaster France-Info.
Elsewhere, Dutch airline KLM scrapped all flights from Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport from midday until the end of the day.
Much of the Belgian rail network was closed and even those trains still running were subject to the speed limit of 80kph (45mph).
Shipping traffic was halted in the Scheldt estuary, with vessels bound for the port of Antwerp told they will not be allowed to enter.
The German Weather Service also issued warnings for the North Sea and Baltic Sea coastal areas.
However, there were some who welcomed the winds: in the Netherlands, the storm signalled a new edition of the Dutch Headwind Cycling Championships, a bicycle race held along the 9km (5.3 mile) Oosterscheldekering coastal barrier.
The Tegenwindfietsen race, scheduled at 2pm local time, which uses uniform single-speed bikes, is announced when a minimum of gale force seven wind blows up the North Sea coast from the south-west.
