Storm Ciarán Ravages Europe: Flooding, Forest Fires, Fatalities in Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, France, and Italy
During the 'Storm Ciarán,' which swept across central and northern Italy overnight, causing riverbanks to burst and triggering severe flooding, several people have lost their lives. Spain evacuated 800 people, reports The Guardian.
Residents found themselves trapped in their homes, hospitals were flooded, and cars were overturned by the deluge. As a result of the storm in Western Europe, 12 people have lost their lives.
The storm has destroyed homes, caused chaos on roads, and left thousands without power. Approximately 1,600 households were left without electricity in Austria on Friday.
Meanwhile, Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea faced extremely strong winds with speeds of up to 87 miles per hour.
Over half a million French households have been without power for the second consecutive day, primarily in the western Brittany region. Train services were halted in several areas, and many roads remained closed.
Unstable weather is expected in a significant part of Western Europe in the coming days, particularly on Saturday, as a new storm system seems to be developing near the Atlantic Ocean.
Representatives from Italy's civil protection service reported that around eight inches of rain fell in three hours from the city of Livorno on the coast to the interior Mugello valley, leading to river flooding. In some areas of the Tuscany region, an orange-level alert is still in effect.
Scientists have explained that the 'Storm Ciarán,' which continues to wreak havoc across Europe, is a 'bomb cyclone.' These are unusual storms where explosive intensification results in very strong winds.
Such storms are likely to become more frequent due to the climate crisis, they warned. Ciarán is the third named winter storm in the UK this season, and it appears to be exceptionally turbulent. In England, 44 flood warnings are still in effect.
Storm Ciarán prompted warnings across Croatia and Slovenia due to rain, wind gusts of up to 110 km/h, and sea storms.
The Slovenian Environmental Agency published the country's second-largest wind warning for the southwestern part of the country tomorrow, according to STA.
Heavy rains, thunderstorms, and hail were predicted by Greece's National Meteorological Service.
