Storm low over Europe: At least three dead by “Eunice”

The storm “Eunice” caused damage in several European countries. At least three people were killed. Rail traffic was interrupted in many places and numerous flights were cancelled.

One day after a storm that killed three people in Germany and Poland, Europe was hit again by a hurricane. The storm called “Eunice” internationally and “Zeynep” in Germany killed one person in Ireland. A man was killed by a falling tree in the Ballythomas area of ​​south-east Ireland, police said.

Two dead in the Netherlands

At least two people died in the Netherlands. In Amsterdam, a person was killed by a falling tree, according to the fire brigade. In Diemen in the east of the capital, a person died after a tree fell on his car.

The storm with hurricane-force gusts paralyzed public life in large parts of the country. Trees were uprooted, roofs torn off and trucks overturned. In The Hague, the wind blew off the roof of a football stadium. Train and public transport have been discontinued. Schools and test and vaccination centers closed.

The extreme weather conditions also caused cancellations and delays at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The weather service KNMI had imposed the highest warning level, code red, for the coastal provinces in the west and large areas in the north. The weather service warned of “dangerous situations” and wind speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour.

First red alert in London

In London, the highest red warning level was declared for the first time since this categorization was introduced in 2011. It also applies to parts of South West and South East England and Wales. Heavy snowfall has been forecast for Scotland and northern England.

The Met Office warned that there was a risk of death from flying debris. Videos circulating on the internet showed how the covering of the Millennium Dome in the London Borough of Greenwich was partially torn away.

Train services in London have been partially suspended. Storm “Dudley”, which is called “Ylenia” in Germany, had already led to serious disruptions in train traffic in Scotland and the north of England on Thursday night.

Dozens of flights have been canceled at Heathrow and London City Airport. The Port of Dover has been closed following a string of ferry services. Several national rail operators also advised against travel. In Wales, rail services have been completely suspended. The highest wind speed ever measured in England was registered on the Isle of Wight at around 196 kilometers per hour, according to the weather service.

Tens of thousands of homes without electricity

Tens of thousands of homes across the UK and Ireland were left without electricity. Roads and bridges were closed. Despite this, there have been reports of people getting dangerously close to shore defenses or even swimming into the sea. That’s “probably the stupidest thing you can do,” said Roy Stokes of the Environment Agency, according to the PA news agency.

France restricts traffic

The storm also caused traffic disruptions in Germany, Denmark, Belgium and France. In Brittany in northern France, “Eunice” caused waves up to four meters high and affected regional rail traffic.

The French railways stopped regional traffic in the north and in Normandy with a few exceptions. Disabilities were also expected in eastern France. The TGV trains should run as planned, but the high-speed Thalys not to the Netherlands. Rail traffic was also affected in Belgium and the authorities called on citizens to only leave their homes in urgent cases.