BERLIN — Nine people including two firefighters were killed Thursday as violent gales battered northern Europe, snapping air and train links. Germany halted all long-distance rail traffic for at least a day, while numerous domestic flights were scrapped as hurricane-force winds lashed the country. The storm claimed six lives in Germany, including two firefighters deployed in emergency operations and two truck drivers whose vehicles were blown over by the gales. Another driver died when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed in to a truck. A 59-year-old camper was killed instantly when a tree fell on him in North Rhine-Westphalia state, German police said, as wind speeds reached a high of 203 kilometres an hour (126 mph) at the Brocken — the highest peak of northern Germany. The storm, named Friederike, also ripped the roof off a school in the eastern state of Thueringia while children were still in the building. Authorities said no one was hurt there. In the Bavarian alps, the strong gales forced the cancellation of a ski world championship qualifier at Oberstdorf. It is the worst storm to strike Germany since 2007, according to the German weather service. Passengers stuck at rail stations were given a voucher for a hotel room, German rail service Deutsche Bahn spokesman Achim Strauss said. “We must have protect our passengers and our staff,” he added, without saying when the rail service would return to normal. In the Netherlands, which had borne the brunt of the severe winter storms earlier… [Read full story]
Nearly 300,000 homes were left without power in Britain and France on Monday and trains and planes were cancelled as a fierce storm battered the region, leaving at least two people dead. A 17-year-old girl died after a tree fell onto the static caravan where she was sleeping in Hever, southeast England, and a man in his 50s died when a tree fell on his car in Watford, north of London, police said. The rough conditions at sea forced rescuers to suspend the search for a 14-year-old boy who was washed out to sea from a beach in East Sussex…... [read more]
Powerful Typhoon Soudelor is battering Taiwan with strong winds and heavy rain, leaving at least four people dead. The storm - with winds of more than 230km/h (142mph) - made landfall on the eastern coast early on Saturday and is now moving across the island. It is ripping up trees and tearing down billboards, and triggered a landslide in at least one village. About two million households have been left without electricity. Rail services and flights have been cancelled and all schools and offices closed. Taiwan's weather bureau says the typhoon is moving north-west, gradually losing its strength. Among the…... [read more]
At least 10 people were killed on Monday as a fierce storm tore across northern Europe, causing mass disruption to transport. LONDON: At least 11 people were killed on Monday as a fierce storm tore across northern Europe, causing mass disruption to transport. Four people were killed in Britain and three in Germany as heavy rain and high winds battered the region. The storm also claimed two victims in The Netherlands, one in France and one in Denmark. Rough conditions at sea also forced rescuers to abandon the search for a 14-year-old boy who disappeared while playing in the surf…... [read more]
LONDON - At least 11 people have been killed as a fierce storm tore across northern Europe, causing mass disruption to transport. Four people were killed on Monday in Britain and three in Germany as heavy rain and high winds battered the region. The storm also claimed two victims in The Netherlands, one in France and one in Denmark. Rough conditions at sea also forced rescuers to abandon the search for a 14-year-old boy who disappeared while playing in the surf on a southern English beach on Sunday. British Prime Minister David Cameron described the loss of life as "hugely…... [read more]
Mexico reeled Monday from the rare one-two punch of major storms on opposite coasts that triggered floods and landslides, killing at least 40 people while stranding tourists in Acapulco. ACAPULCO, Mexico: Mexico reeled Monday from the rare one-two punch of major storms on opposite coasts that triggered floods and landslides, killing at least 40 people while stranding tourists in Acapulco. The Pacific coast was still being battered by the remnants of tropical storm Manuel, which continued to dump rain after dissipating, while hurricane Ingrid hit the northeast with tropical storm force before being further downgraded. Thousands of people were evacuated…... [read more]
