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On February 9th and 10th, Superstorm Ciara swept across England and parts of northern Europe, bringing heavy rain and 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.
The UK's Rail Transport Authority said extreme weather had caused them numerous problems, with many power poles, trees, and other obstacles blocking train tracks. The authority also warned people to only travel if absolutely necessary. All freight transport to and from the port of Dover, England, was suspended. The Humber Bridge in northern England was closed to traffic for the second time since its opening in 1981.
Superstorm Ciara brought heavy rain with maximum wind speeds reaching nearly 150 km/h.
A series of domestic and European flights have been cancelled. Rail operations and freight transport at British ports have also been disrupted by Storm Ciara. UK Environment Minister Theresa Villiers said: “Rainfall of 40-80 cm in 24 hours has been widespread across northern England, leaving over 500 structures in floodwaters. That number could continue to rise. The UK government has declared it will provide full support to the flooded areas.”
Newsflare and the New York Post republished videos on February 11th showing heart-stopping moments as pilots attempted to take off and land at Birmingham City Airport in England and Zurich Airport in Switzerland amidst Storm Ciara.
UK Communities Minister Robert Jenrick immediately activated the Government's emergency Bellwin programme for areas flooded by Storm Ciara in Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire.
Major sporting events were also affected by the storm; the Premier League match between Manchester City and West Ham was postponed due to "extreme weather conditions and worsening conditions," while the women's rugby match between Scotland and England was also cancelled.
Many ongoing sporting events have also been canceled.
In Germany, where Hurricane Ciara is known as Sabine, the situation is no better. Around 180 flights to and from Frankfurt Airport have been delayed. Germany's national airline, Lufthansa, said it is suspending all flights departing from Munich Airport for the next few days.
Storm Ciara continued to wreak havoc in Belgium with winds reaching 209 km/h, resulting in the cancellation of over 60 flights at Brussels Airport. Many public transport services on city streets were diverted due to fallen trees. In the Netherlands, approximately 240 flights to and from Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, one of Europe's busiest airports, were cancelled due to Storm Ciara.
Storm Ciara, also known as Elsa in Norway and Sabine in Germany and Switzerland, was the biggest storm to hit Europe this year.
