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Northern Europe swept by storms Poland battered by deadly storm
(about 3 hours later)
A violent storm lashing northern Europe has hit the Netherlands and Germany after passing over Britain and France. Poland and the Czech Republic are now taking the full force of a storm that has swept northern Europe leaving at least 33 people dead.
At least 28 people have been killed, as the high winds have sent debris flying and brought down trees and power lines. At least four people were reported killed in Poland as winds of more than 200km/h (124mph) were recorded.
Ten people were killed in Britain as rain and gusts of wind up to 99mph (159km/h) swept much of the country. Meanwhile Germany, Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands picked themselves up on Friday after the storm passed.
In Germany, hurricane-force winds claimed at least seven lives. Other deaths were reported in France, Poland, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands. Some services were returning to normal, but thousands of travellers were still stranded and homes left without power.
The severe weather has thrown transport systems into chaos, with hundreds of flight, rail and ferry cancellations and roads and schools ordered closed. Roads, rail lines and electricity pylons were taken out of action by falling trees, collapsing walls and flying wreckage.
Passengers stranded The debris also proved deadly.
Meteorologists at London's Meteorological Office said the winds reached "severe gale force" as they crossed Britain and were the highest recorded since January 1990. In Germany, an 18-month-old baby was killed in Munich by a door that was ripped off its hinges, while a 73-year-old man died in Augsburg when a barn door fell on him.
As the storm moved east over the continent, people in the Netherlands and Germany were warned to stay indoors. STORM DEATHS Britain: 10Germany: 10The Netherlands: 4Poland: 4Czech Republic: 3France: 2 class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/6275939.stm">In pictures: Europe lashed
STORM DEATHS Britain: 10Germany: 7The Netherlands: 4Czech Republic: 3France: 2Poland: 2 class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/6275939.stm">In pictures: Europe lashed Ten people were killed in Britain, including a two-year-old boy who was crushed by a wall, and the managing director of Birmingham Airport, whose car was hit by a tree.
Meteorologists in Germany said the storm was the worst in five years, with winds gusting up to 190km/h (118mph). Meteorologists said the winds reached "severe gale force" in Britain and were the strongest since January 1990.
The national rail company suspended all its services, leaving passengers stranded at stations. They hit hurricane force in Germany, the worst in at least five years.
Air traffic too has been badly affected with many flights cancelled. In the Netherlands, an 11-year-old boy was killed when he was blown into a car, AFP reported.
Berlin's new central station was evacuated after the winds tore off a section of steel support. As the storm moved east on Friday, a Polish crane operator in the southern town of Katowice was reported killed when his machinery collapsed, and another died in Zaborow, near Warsaw, when the roof of his house fell in.
Tens of thousands of emergency workers are on standby to deal with the widespread damage that is anticipated. In the Czech Republic a million people faced power cuts, Reuters reported, while strong winds damaged a terminal roof at Prague international airport and caused some flights to be delayed.
Two people in Germany were killed by doors blown off their hinges and in Riel, the Netherlands, an 11-year-old boy was killed when he was blown into a car, AFP reported. Fallen girder
Most of the other fatalities across Europe have been from traffic accidents and flying debris. Germany was trying to get its rail services back on track after the entire network was closed on Thursday.
Tens of thousands of homes are without power. A girder fell on to steps at Berlin station but hit no-one
The winds are only expected to weaken once they reach Russia and Ukraine. The disruption came after Berlin's new central station, the biggest rail hub in Europe, was evacuated after the winds tore off a two-tonne steel girder, which crashed 40m (130ft) onto a stairway.
"No-one was hurt, thank God," said Volker Knauer, a spokesman for the station.
Trains were running again on Friday but "delays are to be expected because the early trains are proceeding cautiously," a spokesman said.
Thursday also saw a dramatic rescue in the English channel, as British and French coastguards plucked 26 sailors from a lifeboat in big seas after they abandoned their sinking freighter.
The winds are not expected to weaken until they reach Russia and Ukraine, though the effects were already being felt in those countries on Friday, with a pipeline carrying Russian oil to the European Union via Ukraine being shut down.
Are you in the areas affected by the heavy storms? How are you preparing for them? Send us your experiences using the form below:Are you in the areas affected by the heavy storms? How are you preparing for them? Send us your experiences using the form below:
If you have any pictures of the storms you can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.ukIf you have any pictures of the storms you can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.uk
Please do not endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws.Please do not endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws.
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