Power cuts, grounded flights, towering waves: Storm Austen batters France, UK

A powerful Atlantic storm system packing winds of up to 179 kmph swept across Western Europe on Friday, leaving nearly 300,000 homes without electricity in France and thousands more in the UK, while disrupting flights, halting rail services and battering coastlines with heavy rain and towering waves.

Named Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, triggered widespread travel disruption and emergency responses, with forecasters warning that a second storm, Boelo, could bring further damaging winds, heavy rainfall and flooding over the weekend.

In France, electricity network operators reported that nearly 300,000 households were without power, with Brittany, Normandy and the Pays de la Loire among the worst-affected regions. In the UK, more than 16,000 homes in Southwest England were without electricity on Friday, according to Grid, even as engineers continued efforts to restore supplies to properties affected by the storm.

The severe conditions also disrupted rail services, grounded or diverted flights and forced ferry operators to suspend crossings between France and England. Fallen trees and debris obstructed roads, while powerful waves battered exposed coastlines.

Forecasters warned that further disruption, including flooding and additional power cuts, was possible as another Atlantic weather system approached.

NEARLY 300,000 HOMES LOSE POWER IN FRANCE

Storm Austen caused widespread electricity outages across northwestern France, with power operator Enedis reporting nearly 300,000 affected customers in its Friday update. Earlier in the day, the utility had reported 161,000 households without power, including 128,000 in Brittany, 19,000 in the Pays de la Loire and 14,000 in Normandy, as the storm intensified.

Strong winds and heavy rain swept through several regions, bringing down trees and scattering debris across roads. Authorities warned that hazardous conditions could persist through Friday evening (local time), complicating repair work and emergency operations.

RAIL SERVICES SUSPENDED, FLIGHTS DIVERTED

The Atlantic Storm severely disrupted transport across France, with authorities warning passengers of cancellations and delays across rail and air networks.

Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said all rail traffic had been suspended in Normandy, while major disruption was expected on commuter rail services serving Paris. Services in storm-affected regions were also severely disrupted at least until midday, according to reports.

Air travel was affected as strong winds forced changes to flight operations. Some flights were diverted from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Orly Airport, while further diversions to other French and European airports were anticipated. Nantes Airport also reported cancellations.

Ferry services connecting France and England remained suspended or docked during the morning because of strong winds and high waves, according to French media reports.

STORM AUSTEN BATTERS SOUTHWEST ENGLAND

Across the English Channel, Storm Austen brought damaging winds to Southwest England, with Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly among the areas facing the most severe conditions.

Grid reported that more than 16,000 homes in Southwest England were without power. More than 6,000 of the affected households were customers registered for priority services because they might require additional assistance during power cuts.

The UK Met Office issued an amber warning for wind, warning of gusts of up to 130 kmph. Winds of up to 100 kmph were forecast across parts of southern and central England as the storm moved eastwards along the English Channel coast.

Dozens of schools across Cornwall were forced to open late or remain closed, while schools in Guernsey also shut as a precaution. Ferry services to the Isles of Scilly were suspended and Exeter Airport cancelled flights. Fallen trees and other obstructions caused traffic delays in several regions.

The Met Office warned that trees still carrying their leaves could be particularly vulnerable to strong winds, increasing the risk of falling branches, blocked roads and further damage to electricity infrastructure.

BRIGHTON'S WEST PIER DAMAGED AS WAVES BATTER COAST

The storm also caused damage along the British coastline, where powerful winds and high waves battered exposed structures and harbour walls.

In Brighton, a section of the remaining structure of the historic West Pier broke away and fell into the sea during the storm. The pier, which opened in 1866, has deteriorated substantially since closing to the public in 1975, with successive storms and fires destroying much of the structure.

Elsewhere, large waves crashed against coastal defences, including in East Sussex, underscoring the risks posed by the combination of strong winds and rough seas.

Weather warnings also covered the Channel Islands, where forecasters warned of dangerous conditions for shipping. Jersey issued a red warning, the highest level, for maritime conditions, with gusts of up to 129 kmph expected in the area.

THREAT OF SECOND STORM BOELO

Although Storm Austen was expected to move eastwards on Friday, allowing winds to ease across some western areas, forecasters warned that the respite could be short-lived.

Storm Boelo is expected to bring another spell of strong winds and heavy rain to Northern Ireland, Scotland and parts of northern England from Saturday into Sunday. The Met Office upgraded warnings for several areas to amber, warning of gusts of up to 129 kmph in exposed coastal locations and winds of 96.5 to 112.5 kmph across wider areas.

The forecaster warned of potential power cuts, damage to buildings, uprooted trees, flying debris and cancellations across rail and air networks.

Heavy rain is also expected to spread eastwards on Saturday, with further rainfall forecast in northern areas on Sunday. The combination of strong winds and saturated ground could increase the risk of flooding, particularly in areas that have already received substantial rainfall.

Ireland is also preparing for the next storm. The country's weather agency, issued warnings of varying severity for counties along the western coast, including an orange-level wind warning for Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo. Additional warnings covered heavy rain and strong winds across several other counties.

UK PM WARNS OF POTENTIAL FLOODING THIS WINTER

The back-to-back storms have renewed concerns about the UK's preparedness for increasingly disruptive weather events.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham warned on Friday that the country could face a winter of greater flooding, stressing the need for households and public authorities to prepare for emergencies.

Speaking at a summit organised to draw lessons from the summer's record wildfires, Burnham said unexpected events appeared to be becoming more common and called for greater public resilience.

The government has launched a campaign encouraging people to keep supplies of food and other essentials at home in case emergencies disrupt normal services for several days.

Burnham said the guidance was intended to help people manage periods of disruption, including severe weather and power outages, while authorities worked to restore essential services.

The Met Office began naming major storms in 2015 to improve public awareness of severe weather risks. The storm-naming season runs from September through August, with names assigned in alphabetical order.

With Storm Austen moving away and Storm Boelo approaching, authorities across France, the UK and Ireland are preparing for further disruption, including renewed electricity outages, transport delays and the possibility of flooding over the weekend.

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