Storm Goretti lashes western France, leaving 380,000 without power
Baku, January 9, AZERTAC
Storm Goretti swept across western France overnight, bringing violent winds, coastal flooding and widespread disruption, leaving around 380,000 households without electricity, Anadolu Agency reported citing French grid operator Enedis.
Power outages were reported across several western regions as strong wind gusts battered the country from Thursday night into Friday morning. In the Manche department, a gust of 213 kilometers per hour was recorded in the town of Gatteville, broadcaster BFMTV reported.
The storm also knocked out telecommunications infrastructure, leaving more than 400 mobile network antennas offline across Normandy, BFMTV said.
Significant damage was reported in Normandy, where fallen trees blocked roads and damaged power lines, causing large-scale electricity cuts. Emergency services worked through the night to clear debris and restore access to affected areas.
In Barfleur, where the strongest gusts were recorded, winds averaged over 100 kilometers per hour for more than two hours, with a 10-minute average peak of 118 kilometers per hour at 12.12 am local time (2312 GMT), authorities said.
Off the coast of Brittany, Meteo-France reported waves reaching heights of 10 to 13 meters, particularly near Belle-Ile-en-Mer and Ouessant.
In the Somme department, the coastal town of Cayeux-sur-Mer experienced flooding of up to 40 centimeters in some streets, according to the prefecture.
As a precaution, all schools, colleges and high schools in the Manche and Seine-Maritime departments remained closed Friday, with school transportation services also suspended.
Rail traffic was also heavily disrupted. The French national rail operator SNCF said several train services were canceled across northern France due to severe weather conditions, advising passengers to check updates before traveling.
The Interior Ministry said at least six people suffered minor injuries nationwide but confirmed that no serious injuries had been reported during the passage of the storm as of 8 am local time (0700 GMT).
Meteo-France said most violent wind alerts across the country had been lifted by Friday morning, with only the Landes and Pyrenees-Atlantiques departments remaining under orange alert for strong winds.
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