Severe storms batter northwestern Europe, 11 dead

[BlueStorm]

Severe storms batter northwestern Europe, 11 dead

LONDON (AFP) - Severe storms packing hurricane-force winds battered northwest Europe, killing at least 11 people and triggering a dramatic air-sea rescue from a sinking cargo ship in the English Channel.

The storm brought torrential rains and winds gusting at close to 170 kilometers per hour (105 mph) to areas of southern Britain, as well as northern France, the Netherlands and Germany, causing widespread transport chaos.

Falling trees and pylons claimed the lives of seven motorists, including the managing director of central England's Birmingham airport, Richard Heard, who was killed when a branch fell on his car as he was driving to work.

Two drivers were killed in England, two in the Netherlands, one in France and one in Germany.

In Munich, an 18-month-old baby was crushed to death by a door that was torn off its hinges, while a 73-year-old man was killed after a barn door fell on him in Bavaria.

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Damn!!

Blue

[pitohui]

1. !!!

i just received a message from a man in london telling of the hurricane force winds he was experiencing, i thought he was joking around with me!

stay safe, ya'll!

[BlueStorm]

2. I am surprised as well....

Why don't they just call it a hurricane?

We've had blizzards and storms here a few times that reached strong gale force and one blizzard that had hurricane force gusts of winds, I think that one was over North or South Dakota, I can't remember off the top of my head.

Blue

[BlueStorm]

3. Subject: I am surprised as well....

Why don't they just call it a hurricane?

We've had blizzards and storms here a few times that reached strong gale force and one blizzard that had hurricane force gusts of winds, I think that one was over North or South Dakota, I can't remember off the top of my head.

Blue

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. It's not a circular storm

So it's not a true hurricane; but winds above 73 mph are called 'hurricane force' on the Beaufort scale, which is the same speed at which a tropical storm is classified as a category 1 hurricane.

[Solly Mack]

4. We've been lucky around my area so far..the advisory

expires at 10 PM and it's after 9 PM now.

Winds had calmed down but have now picked up some. They were worse earlier this evening.

Mainly wet, cold and windy.

[bdamomma]

5. the wrath of nature is causing havoc on us.