Storm Eunice continues to sweep northwestern Europe on Saturday morning with strong gusts still expected on the German coasts, leaving in its wake significant material damage and at least nine deaths.
Formed in Ireland, the storm passed Friday over part of the United Kingdom then northern France, Benelux before continuing its route towards Denmark and Germany, of which a large northern third was placed on red alert until Saturday morning.
“There is a risk of severe storm force gusts (level 3 of 4). Maximum gust: 100-115 km/h“, warned the German meteorological services, warning of the risks of uprooted trees, falling branches or even damaged roofs.
“In particular, keep away from buildings, trees, scaffolding and high voltage lines. If possible, avoid staying outside“, they implored.
Because this storm left a spectacle of desolation in its path and caused significant disruption.
Hundreds of flights, trains and ferries were canceled across northwestern Europe as extreme winds from Eunice swept through less than 48 hours following Storm Dudley (at least six dead in Poland and Germany).
Nine dead in Europe
At this stage, nine deaths have been recorded because of Eunice.
Last death reported in the early morning by the police in Germany: a driver was killed by the fall of a tree on his vehicle in Altenberge, in North Rhine-Westphalia, not far from the city of Munster.
In the Netherlands, four people were killed, according to the Dutch emergency services, by falling trees or in accidents. In The Hague, dozens of houses were evacuated for fear of the collapse of the bell tower of a church.
A 60-year-old man has died in south-east Ireland, police say.
In London, a woman in her thirties was killed in the followingnoon when a tree fell on the car in which she was a passenger, and a man in his fifties was killed near Liverpool (north-west of England) when debris hit the windscreen of the vehicle he was traveling in.
In Belgium, a 79-year-old Canadian who lived on a boat in the marina of Ypres (west) died following falling into the water while trying to recover objects that had flown away.
Winds of nearly 200 km/h
In England, a gust of 196 km / h was recorded on the Isle of Wight, unheard of, while others were measured at more than 110 km / h inland, including at London airport Heathrow.
The British Meteorological Service had issued a red alert level – the highest – over South Wales and southern England, including London. This is the first time that the British capital has reached this level of alert since the implementation of this system in 2011.
In the north of France, six people were seriously injured – and seventeen more slightly – in road accidents related to wind, falls or due to falling materials.
Strong gusts of wind coupled with high tides raise fears of flooding, especially as heavy rains were expected for Saturday.
Cross-Channel ferry traffic was halted, hundreds of flights were canceled on Friday — more than 400 at UK airports, according to specialist company Cirium, and KLM canceled more than 200 from Schiphol Airport of Amsterdam–road and rail transport were also affected in several countries.
