Devastating Storm and Floods hit Europe with Rising Casualties.

by Paschen | January 24, 2009 at 08:51 am

1814 views | 81 Recommendations | 20 comments

Via. Uwe Paschen.

Devastating Storm hits Europe with rising Causalities.

The highest disaster alert has now been issued for the affected areas.

The News outlets through out Europe are reporting Storms in South Western France and Northern Spain, taking seven lives so far. No such storm has been seen for a decade in those parts of Europe, coming from the Atlantic with winds of 172 Km/h and torrential rain falls causing floods and devastation.

The BBC does report some Children killed as a Sports hall collapsed partially in Catalonia. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7848719.stm

The Independent reports for its part that more causalities in the Pyrenees mountain as well as in Madrid, the capital city of Spain. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/storm-death-toll-rises-to-seven-in-spain-704905.html

Europe 1 is reporting large areas of South Western France to be with out Power as well as People being trapped due to the still ongoing storm now at 184 Km/h, Nicolas Sarkosy the President of France, will be departing soon for the area affected.

http://www.europe1.fr/Info/Actualite-France/Societe/Tempete-alerte-rouge-dans-le-Sud-Ouest/(gid)/196600

The areas affected so far are South Eastern France, Northern Spain, South Western Germany and North western Italy. Casualty reports are coming in from France, Spain, and Germany.

http://www.wetteronline.de/feature/2009/01/24_bo.htm

Le Figaro reports 1.7 million people with out power in France alone as well as much destruction. SNCF the French Train system has been interrupted as well as the Air traffic.

http://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/2009/01/23/01016-20090123ARTFIG0...

AP reports that 500 train passenger of the SNCF where stranded due to the storm.

http://fr.news.yahoo.com/3/20090124/tfr-meteo-tempete-sud-ouest-56633fe_...

Liberation France reports that many roads are blocked and inaccessible. Toulouse one of France's largest City has stopped all Air traffic and grounded all planes. The Armed Forces have not been deployed so far since the Rescue units seem to be able to handle it for now and are being assisted by units from non affected areas.

http://www.libetoulouse.fr/2007/2009/01/le-vent-plaque.html

More news to follow.

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politisite

at 09:23 on January 24th, 2009

This is a story I have not seen on MSM here in USA. Thanks

Paschen

at 10:17 on January 24th, 2009

The Highest Disaster Alert has now been issued for this Storm and France Press is reporting that the President him self will be in the area as soon as he can.

Blue Crush

at 10:33 on January 24th, 2009

This is a link from The Earth Times, says the storm was moving eastwards, over Southern France, in the direction of northern Italy, losing power now. Death toll at 13, and expected to rise.

Paschen

at 12:03 on January 24th, 2009

Thank you Blue Crush for the link and additional info on this storm.

Jordan Yerman

at 11:16 on January 24th, 2009

More on the power outages in France, as the storm is being described as the worst in 10 years:

Eight people died in other incidents in Spain and south-western France as the fiercest storm in a decade blew in from the Atlantic.
Torrential rains and winds of up to 172km/h (107mph) are being reported.
At least 1m homes in France are without electricity, road and rail links are blocked and airports closed.

Jordan Yerman

at 11:35 on January 24th, 2009

The high winds caused the collapse of a stadium in Barcelona, killing four kids:

Emergency workers at the Barcelona sports center could be seen putting three children's bodies into ambulances and pulling another 16 injured children from the rubble before the rescue effort ended. Accident investigators arrived on the scene to take photographs and carry out other attempts to document the cause of the collapse.

Thanks, Blue Crush, for alerting me to that one.

Paschen

at 12:04 on January 24th, 2009

Thank you for the update here Jordan and additional information.

Amy Judd

at 11:56 on January 24th, 2009

Thanks for putting this up - hopefully it won't get any worse.

Paschen

at 12:08 on January 24th, 2009

Jordan, Many thanks for putting up the Video here. Much appreciated.

158

at 14:01 on January 24th, 2009

It is a bad one but this is the first I heard of it.

Good coverage and information.

Barry Artiste

at 16:02 on January 24th, 2009

Good coverage and information. Paschen

Amy Judd

at 19:36 on January 24th, 2009

15 people have been killed in Spain:

Hurricane-force winds lashed Spain and France, killing at least 15 people including four children when part of a sports hall collapsed, while over a million were left without power.

High winds, gusting up to 150 kilometres an hour (95 miles per hour) in northern Spain, brought down part of a sports hall in Sant Boi de Llobregat, near Barcelona, a regional government spokeswoman said, killing the four children and injuring nine.

Paschen

at 00:11 on January 25th, 2009

Thank you for the update here Amy.

Paschen

at 09:14 on January 25th, 2009

Latest Update on European Storm. Europe 1 Reports that still at this moment 1.1 million House holds are being with out power and that the Armed Forces have been deployed by orders of the President of France Nicola Sarkozy. Schools will remain close.

http://www.europe1.fr/Info/Actualite-France/Societe/Tempete-alerte-rouge-dans-le-Sud-Ouest/%28gid%29/196600

CRW

at 10:43 on January 25th, 2009

FRANCE 24th january 2009: Stormwarning, during the storm 1.3 million homes lost their powerconnection in region Gironde!

CRW has contributed a photo to this story.

Paschen

at 00:03 on January 26th, 2009

Thank you for the picture on the European Storm CRW, Much appreciated.

nitrazepam (not verified)

at 06:43 on January 26th, 2009

Article about the tragic accident on Catalonia.

http://www.elperiodico.com/default.asp?idpublicacio_PK=46&idioma=CAS&idnoticia_PK=581796&idseccio_PK=1021

WilliamBaptist

at 15:50 on January 26th, 2009

I think the Red cross has to make that appeal and they will once it is legitimate.

patgarcia

at 18:18 on January 26th, 2009

I was watching some videos from Spain on TV. This is so tragic and unusual.

jvanpass

at 03:49 on January 29th, 2009

It was late afternoon when we saw a hugh thunderstorm entering the valley. In de village, in the centre of the valley, a hailstorm broke loose. During about half an hour hailstones of about 1-1,5 centimetres in diameter did their damage, especially damaging to the crops in the nearby fields.

jvanpass has contributed a photo to this story.