Storms batter Europe hitting power supplies, flights and phones

Storms swept through northern Europe on Sunday, Oct 25, causing widespread damage and disruption. A man in southwestern Scotland lost his life after a tree fell on him, while a runner in a marathon in northern France was injured when a tree was uprooted during the race. Power cuts affected over 150,000 homes across Britain, France, and Germany within a 24-hour period.

In Scotland, winds reached speeds of up to 135 km/h, toppling trees and power cables which blocked roads and rail lines. In France, over 60,000 homes lost power, with 2,600 Enedis technicians working to restore electricity. In Germany, the storm caused power outages for 10,000 homes and disrupted mobile phone networks, prompting the closure of a town's hospital emergency services.

The storm also caused significant damage to infrastructure, with parts of a pier in Brighton blown away and hundreds of flights cancelled or diverted at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport. Experts warned of more extreme weather events due to global warming, and authorities issued flood warnings in Scotland and England.