LONDON (AP) – Crews cleared fallen trees and worked to restore power to about 400,000 people in Britain as Western Europe cleaned up yesterday after one of the most damaging storms for years.
At least nine people were killed, many by falling trees, in Ireland, Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands. Named Storm Eunice by the British and Irish weather services, and Zeynep in Germany, Friday’s storm was the second to hit the region in a week.
Winds toppled the spire of a church in Wells, southwest England, ripped off parts of the domed roof of London’s O2 Arena and left a trail of felled trees and damaged buildings across several countries. A gust of 196 kilometres an hour was provisionally recorded on Friday on the Isle of Wight. If confirmed, it would be the highest ever recorded in England.
The United Kingdom (UK) National Rail association said “routes across most of Great Britain” remained affected yesterday morning, with disruption continuing throughout the day. The Met Office weather service yesterday said more strong winds would hit the southern coasts of England and Wales with the potential for further damage, while snow and ice could cause disruption further north.
