France, Britain Hit By Record Winds Of Storm Ciaran
🔴 Storm Ciaran has descended upon Northern Europe with unwavering fury, bringing with it strong winds and heavy rain, and marking its presence with an unfortunate fatality in France.
As this tempest sweeps through the affected regions, schools and airports have been compelled to shutter their doors, while rail and ferry services have ground to a halt. The situation is dire in France, where 1.2 million families are grappling with power outages and being sternly advised to remain indoors, lest they be exposed to gusts that can reach up to 207 kilometers per hour. Off the coast, the waves stand tall at a staggering 20 meters, a visual testament to the storm's ferocity.
Compounding the menace, the accompanying heavy rainfall and fierce winds have already led to severe flooding in Northern Ireland and parts of the UK.
In France, the north-western coast bore the brunt of violent gales, with wind speeds reaching a harrowing 207 km/h on the Pointe du Raz in the Finistère department of Brittany. In the wake of this onslaught, 1.2 million households find themselves without electricity, and of these, 780,000 are situated in Brittany.
Transport Minister Clément Beaune conveyed a tragic incident, reporting that a truck driver lost his life in the Aisne department, northeast of Paris, when a tree fell on his vehicle. This grim event serves as a stark reminder that even in regions not under red alert, perils on the road remain distressingly high.
The storm is anticipated to move inland as it continues its rampage. A total of 31 French departments have been placed under an "orange alert" due to the perilous weather conditions. Along the Atlantic, waves of eight to ten meters are expected, while Paris has been issued a "violent wind" warning.
This tempest is poised to disrupt travel extensively, and the repercussions are expected to linger until Friday morning, with multiple airports and train lines shuttered across France.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom, specifically southern England and the Channel Islands, is bracing for the worst of Storm Ciaran. The Environment Agency has predicted flooding in 54 areas, primarily concentrated along the southern coast of England.
The storm has also sent ripples across the aviation world, with Dutch airline KLM canceling numerous flights to and from Amsterdam Schiphol airport on Thursday.
Amidst this tempestuous spectacle, it's crucial to recognize that Storm Ciaran is but one more chapter in the growing saga of extreme weather events, which are becoming alarmingly frequent as our planet continues to warm. These climatic disruptions not only jeopardize lives but also incur massive economic damages. It's a stark reminder of the urgent need to address climate change and its repercussions.