Severe winds wreak havoc in France and UK, leaving thousands powerless
Severe weather in France has caused damage and power outages. In Lyon, wind speeds reached 78 mph, tearing off the roof of a petrol station.
On Monday, nine departments received warnings for strong winds. Wind speeds reached 68 mph, with gusts up to 75 mph.
Alerts remained in place in the departments of Loire and Rhône in the evening. In the eastern part of the country, the wind remains strong but is starting to weaken, reported Meteo France.
Damage in Lyon
In Lyon, wind speeds reached 78 mph, breaking branches and toppling trees. Tram services were suspended, and the storm tore off the roof of one petrol station. In the Isère department, supermarkets and a secondary school roofs were damaged.
On the A47 motorway, the wind overturned a lorry trailer, causing traffic jams. In the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, 15,000 homes lost power, and in Burgundy, 7,400 homes were affected. Losses were reported in many regions of France.
Bert struck the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is also dealing with the effects of the severe weather. Storm Bert, which hit the Isles, has resulted in the deaths of three people.
According to the BBC, in Hampshire, a man died when a tree struck his car near Winchester. This is the third victim of the cyclone, which brought strong winds, rain, and snow. Earlier, on Saturday, two other people died in road accidents in West Yorkshire and Northamptonshire.
There are 35 flood warnings in England, mainly in the northwest. 140 alerts concern the southwest, northwest, and Midlands. National Grid reported that 1,186 homes in Wales and 819 in southwest England were powerless.
The BBC reported that Storm Bert is a "multi-hazard event." Residents must be prepared for further disruptions and weather-related dangers.
