Storm Ciarán plowed through northwest Europe, tearing the roofs off some buildings, snarling transport networks and cutting power to more than a million people.
The cyclone delivered punishing winds and heavy rainfall to an area spanning from the UK to the Iberian peninsula, triggering severe weather alerts as officials warned residents not to travel if possible. Flooding and strong gusts could last into the weekend in some coastal areas.
Airports from Amsterdam to London to Paris canceled or delayed flights, while rail networks across the region halted services. Eurostar, which links Britain to the continent, warned of delays and some cancellations on its train services. Major ports have also been affected.
Storms and heat waves are becoming increasingly intense as fossil fuel emissions drive global warming. That’s triggering wildfires and flooding, disrupting power and transport systems and threatening the health and livelihoods of millions.
Ciarán is notable for its intense winds, with gusts reaching 207 kilometers (129 miles) per hour at Pointe du Raz on the western tip of Brittany in France, according to La Chaine Meteo.
The storm tore houses apart on the island of Jersey in the English Channel, where the local government declared a major incident. Local fire and rescue services urged people not to leave their homes, while schools have been closed in Suffolk, England, according to the local government’s website.
The Port of Rotterdam — Europe’s largest and a delivery point for oil tankers in the North Sea — activated its storm protocol due to strong winds. “Container terminals are closed, and the cranes are in a raised position,” a spokesman said.
The region’s second-largest port, Antwerp-Bruges, halted a large portion of its operations, following a mutual decision by Dutch and Belgian authorities, according to a spokesman.
| Other Key Disruptions From Storm Ciaran: |
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About 1.2 million people were without power in France, mostly in Brittany, on Thursday morning local time, French power-distribution operator Enedis said in a statement. Wind gusts that knocked trees onto power lines and tore down wires or towers were to blame, the company said.
At least 9,000 homes faced power outages in southwest England, according to National Grid Plc. Separately, Network Rail said journeys in the UK may be affected into Friday, with the possibility for stormy weather delaying services due to flooding, fallen trees, damaged power lines and landslides.
Air traffic control has restricted the number of arrivals and departures at Gatwick Airport until adverse weather conditions subside, EasyJet Plc said in a post on X. Ryanair Holdings Plc warned in an earlier travel update that passengers moving to and from Ireland over the next two days could experience disruption.
Photograph: Sea foam is whipped up in Penmarc’h, western France, on Nov. 2, 2023. Photo credit: Fred Tanneau/AFP/Getty Images
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