Storm Ciarán Batters Homes and Power Systems Across Europe

A storm raging through northwest Europe is ripping off roofs, forcing flight cancellations and cutting power to more than a million people in France.

Storm Ciaran hit the UK, France, Spain and the Netherlands late on Wednesday, triggering high alerts from meteorological agencies. Wind gusts reached 207 kilometers (129 miles) per hour at Pointe du Raz on the western tip of Brittany, according to France’s La Chaine Meteo. French Transport Minister Clement Beaune reported that a truck driver was killed northeast of Paris.

Fossil fuel emissions are driving global warming, increasing the intensity of summer heat waves and storms. That’s triggering wildfires and flooding, disrupting power and transport systems and threatening the health and livelihoods of millions.

There are 66 flood warnings are in place across England and Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport will see disruptions through much of Thursday.

The storm tore houses apart on the island of Jersey, 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 local government’s website.

About 1.2 million people were without power in France, mostly in the Brittany region, as of 7 a.m. 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.

Train operator SNCF canceled operations in much of northwestern France and on some commuter lines into Paris. Eurostar warned of delays, and some cancellations on its train services from London to Paris and Brussels.

Bloomberg