- The Atlantic storm “Eunice”, called “Zeynep” in Germany, caused severe damage in northern Europe.
- At least nine people died on Friday in England, Ireland, the Netherlands and Belgium as a result of the hurricane.
- Rail traffic has been suspended in many northern European countries, and almost 500 flights have been cancelled.
- Wind peaks of almost 200 km/h were measured in southern England. Tens of thousands of households are affected by power outages.
An Atlantic storm has claimed at least nine lives in north-western Europe with wind peaks of up to 200 kilometers per hour. The storm “Eunice” (“Zeynep”) had formed in the Atlantic and was moving from the Azores towards Europe. The storm made landfall in western England and Cornwall, with winds reaching gusts of up to 200 kilometers per hour in southern England and across the English Channel.
In Ireland, Liverpool, London and Hampshire in southern England, people were killed when trees or debris from their cars fell. Three people were also killed by fallen trees in the Netherlands.
In London, the storm shredded the white domed roof of the O2 Arena. In Wales, waves broke on Aberystwyth’s seafront as tall as houses. More than 100,000 people are currently without electricity in England.
Legend:
Storm Eunice causes high waves on the Cornish coast.
Reuters
At some British airports, planes were sometimes forced to abort landings. 436 flights were canceled. In Wales, rail services have been completely suspended. The ferry services between Dover and Calais in the English Channel have also been cancelled.
According to the Meteorological Service (Met Office), a gust of almost 200 km/h was measured at the westernmost tip in The Needles on the Isle of Wight. This is a record value for a wind gust ever measured in England. According to the Met Office, the strongest winds from the storm will move across the north mainland of the UK towards Scandinavia.
Like the Met Office in the UK, the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) issued a “red alert” for winds with gusts of up to 130 km/h in coastal regions.
Stadium roof destroyed in the Netherlands
Parts of the roof of the stadium of the football club ADO Den Haag were also destroyed in The Hague in the Netherlands. Two people were killed by falling trees.
Around 390 flights were canceled at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. The Dutch government sent out text message alerts urging people to stay indoors and only call emergency services in life-threatening situations. “The emergency number is overloaded,” the message said.
The schools sent the children home earlier on Friday. Train services across the country were suspended from 2 p.m. Several overturned articulated lorries brought traffic on the freeway to a standstill.
Crane falls on a hospital in Belgium
In the Belgian city of Tournai, the storm threw the jib of a crane onto the roof of a hospital and broke through the top floor ceiling. Another part fell on the construction site nearby. The city center of Asse, a small town northeast of Brussels, has been evacuated because a church tower is in danger of collapsing.
The storm called “Zeynep” in Germany could cause even greater damage than “Ylenia”. The new Ork facility was in the northern half of Germany until early Saturday, the German Weather Service (DWD) reported.
There is also a storm warning for north-west France. Several train connections there will be discontinued as a precaution.
Storm “Eunice” sweeps through Great Britain
