Extreme weather creates havoc in western Europe

The storm that left several dead in Spain, lashed through the north of the country and into France. At least three people were reported to have been killed in weather-related accidents in France.

Road, rail and air transport in both countries were hit. A number of airports were forced to close for a time.

Emergency services spent much of the day clearing fallen trees from roads. More than a million people were left without electricity as the storm barrelled north through France.

The heavy rain caused flooding in some areas and there were reports of a number of vessels in difficulty at sea.

Elsewhere two people were reported killed in southern Germany. Several other countries were affected by the severe conditions.

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tags: France