On February 9 and 10, super storm Ciara hit the UK and some areas in northern Europe, causing heavy rain with the strongest winds reaching nearly 150 km/h in Aberdaron, Wales. The strong winds damaged buildings and disrupted traffic. A 58-year-old man in Hampshire was killed when a tree fell on his car on the highway.
Rail Transport UK said the extreme weather had caused problems for rail operators, with downed electricity poles, trees and other obstacles blocking train routes. It also warned people to travel only if necessary. All freight traffic to and from the port of Dover, England, was also suspended. The Humber Bridge in northern England was closed to traffic for the second time since it opened in 1981.
Superstorm Ciara caused heavy rain with maximum winds reaching nearly 150 km/h
A number of domestic and European flights have been cancelled. Rail and freight operations at UK ports have also been disrupted due to Storm Ciara. UK Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers said: "The rainfall is widespread, ranging from 40-80cm in 24 hours across northern England, causing more than 500 structures to be flooded. The number could continue to rise. The UK government announced that it will devote all its support to flood-affected areas."
Newsflare and the New York Post on February 11 reposted videos showing "heart-stopping" scenes as pilots tried to take off and land at Birmingham airport in the UK and in Zurich, Switzerland amid Storm Ciara.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick has immediately activated the Government's emergency Bellwin scheme for areas flooded by Storm Ciara in Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire.
Major sporting events were also affected by the storm, with the Premier League match between Manchester City and West Ham postponed due to "extreme and evolving weather conditions", while the Women's Rugby Championship match between Scotland and England was also cancelled.
Many ongoing sports matches also had to be canceled.
In Germany, where Ciara is known as Sabine, things are no better. About 180 flights to and from Frankfurt airport have been canceled. German flag carrier Lufthansa said it would cancel all flights departing from Munich airport in the coming days.
Storm Ciara has continued to wreak havoc in Belgium, with winds of up to 209 km/h causing more than 60 flights to be cancelled at Brussels Airport. Many public transport routes were forced to be diverted due to fallen trees. In the Netherlands, around 240 flights to and from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, one of Europe's busiest, were cancelled due to Storm Ciara.
Storm Ciara, also known as Elsa in Norway and Sabine in Germany and Switzerland, is the biggest storm to hit Europe this year.
