Storms Bulu and Austin disrupt travel and power supply in Britain, France and Germany
Two storms hit Britain, France and Germany over the weekend, causing transport disruption and power cuts for tens of thousands of households. A falling tree killed a man in Scotland, and several people were injured elsewhere.
Storms "Bulū" and "Austin" swept across Western Europe over the weekend, causing widespread transport disruption and leaving tens of thousands of households without electricity in Britain, France and Germany. The storms also affected the Netherlands and Belgium, and hundreds of flights were cancelled or diverted across Northern Europe.
Casualties and injuries
In southwestern Scotland, a falling tree killed a man on Sunday. In northern France, a tree fell and injured a marathon participant. In Germany, police reported that scaffolding collapsed in strong wind in Nastätten on Saturday, seriously injuring two people. In Brussels, the Belgian capital, falling trees injured four people on Saturday.
Power supply
On Sunday, more than 82,000 households in Britain, almost 60,000 in France and at least 10,000 in Germany experienced power cuts. The UK's Energy Networks Association said that at one point more than 400,000 households were without electricity.
French energy company Enedis reported that around 288,000 households were without power on Saturday, at the peak of storm Austin. By Sunday midday about 59,000 were still affected, mainly in Normandy and Brittany. A total of 2,600 Enedis technicians and subcontractors were working to restore supply.
In Germany, 10,000 households in and around Freiburg lost power. The city's main hospital, also affected by mobile network disruption, had to limit its services and treat only urgent cases.
Transport and warnings
The British national weather service warned that storm Bulū could create life-threatening situations and advised people to stay indoors where possible. A yellow wind warning, the second-highest level on the service's scale, was in force across Scotland and northern England until Sunday evening. Gusts in western Scotland reached 135 kilometres per hour.
Fallen trees and power lines blocked roads and railway lines in Scotland and northern England. Flood warnings were also issued in Britain, and ferry and air services were disrupted. At Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, dozens of flights were cancelled on Sunday.
