Storms batter Europe hitting power supplies, flights and phones

Storms swept through northern Europe on Sunday, causing widespread disruption and loss of life. A man was killed in Scotland when a tree fell on him, while a runner in a marathon in northern France was injured when a tree fell during the event. In Britain, over 150,000 homes lost power, with nearly 82,000 in Britain, 60,000 in France, and at least 10,000 in Germany affected by the storms.

In Scotland, strong winds of up to 135km an hour were recorded, bringing down trees and power cables that blocked roads and rail lines. The storms also affected the southern England coast, with part of a pier blowing away. In France, a marathon runner was lightly injured when a tree fell near the start of the city's marathon, which was being held for the first time in 31 years.

More than 400,000 homes in Britain experienced power cuts at some point during the storms, according to the Energy Networks Association. In France, some 288,000 homes lost power at the peak of the storm, with 59,000 remaining without electricity at midday on Sunday. German authorities reported that the storm cut power to 10,000 homes in the town of Freiburg-Brisgau, forcing the town's hospital to limit services to emergency cases.

The storms also disrupted travel, with hundreds of flights cancelled or diverted across northern Europe. Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, a major European hub, cancelled dozens of flights. The storms caused widespread damage, with trees and power cables blocking roads and rail lines, and four people injured in Brussels due to falling trees. Experts have warned of more extreme weather events due to global warming, and authorities in Scotland and England issued flood warnings.