Italy, Spain, Belgium… Storm Ciaran caused twelve deaths and extensive damage in Europe

After sweeping France, particularly the Atlantic coast and the English Channel, storm Ciaran shifts eastwards and hits the rest of Europe. Since the night of Wednesday 1 to Thursday 2 November, its passage has caused at least twelve deaths, from Belgium to Spain, including France, where two people were killed.

These fatal accidents were, for the most part, caused by falling trees, except in Italy, where five people died. In the Tuscany region, the situation was particularly critical Thursday evening after significant flooding. Elsewhere on the continent, storm Ciaran caused some damage, but above all numerous disruptions, including closed schools and stopped transport. Franceinfo takes stock country by country.

In Italy, five dead and hospitals flooded

The passage of storm Ciaran over Italy left five dead in Tuscany, according to the latest report from the governor of the region, Friday at midday. Heavy rains caused rivers to overflow and cause flooding. Up to 20 centimeters of precipitation was recorded locally, notably in Montemurlo, north of Florence. In this town, an 85-year-old man was found drowned in his house, and an 84-year-old woman died from illness linked to the sudden rise in water. A third person died in Rosignano, on the coast, according to Italian media. The circumstances of the death of the other two victims are unknown.

Firefighters carried out dozens of interventions around Florence, Pistoia, Pisa and Prato to rescue motorists stuck in their vehicles in flooded tunnels or because of trees that had fallen on the road. Three hospitals in the region have also suffered flood-related flooding, and rail traffic is severely disrupted.

“What happened last night in Tuscany has a name: climate change”reacted on X (ex-Twitter) Eugenio Giani, the governor of the region. As the daily reminds us Corriere Fiorentino, regional state of emergency declared And “the orange alert continues until 6 p.m.” Friday in this region. After speaking with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday, the regional governor assures that the government will declare a state of natural disaster.

In Spain, a woman crushed by a tree

In Spain, a 23-year-old woman was crushed by a tree at a pedestrian crossing in central Madrid, reports the daily El País. “The tree that killed the young woman measured 20 meters, had a circumference of one and a half meters and weighed between 2,000 and 2,500 kilos.reports the Spanish newspaper, quoting the head of the capital’s firefighters.

The area of ​​Spain most affected by the storm remains the North-West, where certain sectors of Galicia and the Basque Country have been placed on red alert. Rail traffic was disrupted there, with the interruption of numerous lines. In the east of the country, “several fires, aggravated by the wind” broke out Thursday in the Valencia region, according to firefighters. More than 800 people were evacuated. In total, more than 80 flights were canceled at 11 airports across the country.

In Belgium, two deaths including a child

In the Flemish city of Ghent, a Ukrainian child was injured by falling branches while playing outside. He died in hospital a few hours later, according to the prosecution. A 64-year-old woman, visiting from Germany, was also killed in a city park. His 31-year-old daughter was seriously injured.

Storm Ciaran led to the interruption of part of rail traffic in Flanders and disruptions in the rest of Belgium. Maritime traffic was also interrupted on Thursday in the Antwerp port area. Brussels airport has experienced its share of disruption, with numerous delays.

In Germany, one dead linked to a falling tree

Across the Rhine, a 46-year-old woman died crushed by a tree in Rammelsberg, in the Harz mountains, a massif in the center of the country. According to the daily Spiegelshe could not be resuscitated by the local firefighters. “The woman was accompanied by her two young children and her husband“, reports the German media. The storm hit this region “much stronger” than expected, the firefighters told another newspaper, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, which specifies that access to the Harz forests has been strongly discouraged.

In England, hundreds of schools closed

In the United Kingdom, southern England and the Channel Islands were most affected by Ciaran. There storm led to the suspension of maritime connections from the port of Dover on Thursday morning. Hundreds of schools have been closed. The island of Jersey, on red alert, recorded winds of up to 160 km/h and 35 people had to stay in hotels after damage to their homes, according to police. All flights have been canceled at Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney airports. In Cornwall, in the southwest of the country, more than 8,500 homes were left without electricity.

“So far, no deaths in the UK have been linked to the rain and gusts. But countless homes across the country have been seriously damaged”tells the BBC.

In the Netherlands, one death and a race against the wind canceled

In the Netherlands, a 59-year-old man was killed by a falling tree in Venray, in the southeast of the country, police announced Thursday. At Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, around 200 flights, mainly to nearby European destinations, were canceled. Rail and ferry traffic was also disrupted. Faced with traffic jams, motorists were asked to favor working from home.

The NK Tegenwindfiesten, a cycling race in which participants cycle into the wind, was paradoxically canceled due to the storm. “Unfortunately, the wind became stronger and stronger as the days went by, preventing us from starting the race. Everyone’s safety is our main priority,” declared the organizers, the maximum wind speed during the race cannot exceed 61 km/h.