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Deadly storms hit Europe

October 29, 2013

More than a dozen people have been killed as a result of storms that hit parts of northern Europe. The windy weather also caused major disruptions to transportation and left many without electricity.

https://p.dw.com/p/1A7ZE
Pedestrians try to protect themselves with umbrellas during strong winds in central Brussels October 28, 2013. According to local media, the winds could reach speeds of over 100 km per hour (62 miles per hour) on Monday. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir (BELGIUM - Tags: ENVIRONMENT)
Image: Reuters

Deadly storm reaches mainland Europe

At least 14 people were killed across northern Europe in the storms, which hit the region late on Sunday, packing winds of up to 170 kilometers (105 miles) per hour.

Of these, at least seven were killed in Germany, including at least three hit by uprooted trees. Fatalities were also reported in Great Britain, the Netherlands and Denmark.

Travel delays

The storms systems caused major disruption to public transportation, forcing many of the scheduled trains to be cancelled on the train line that links the western German city of Dortmund with the capital, Berlin, on Monday. Many flights from the airport in the northern city of Hamburg had to be delayed.

Amsterdam's Schipol airport was forced to cancel around 50 flights on Monday, while a ferry from Newcastle bound for the Dutch port of Ijmuiden was unable to dock, forcing its more than 1,000 passengers to wait out the storm in the open sea.

In the west of France, an estimated 75,000 people were left without electricity on Monday after high winds brought down power lines.

In Britain, London's Heathrow Airport cancelled around 130 flights, and an express train service between central London and two of its other airports, Gatwick and Stansted, was suspended.

There were also delays on parts of London's Underground rail network, while the London Overground service was briefly suspended.

pfd/ccp (Reuters, dpa)