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Updated February 19th, 2022 at 22:04 IST

In Netherlands, Storm Eunice kills 4 people; Wind gusts of more than 100km/h recorded

On Friday, an Atlantic storm battered Netherlands with record winds, killing 4 people, knocking out power, uprooting trees, cancelling train and flight services

Reported by: Aparna Shandilya
Netherlands
Image: BergMarten@Twitter | Image:self
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On Friday, an Atlantic storm battered the Netherlands with record winds, killing 4 people, knocking out power, uprooting trees, cancelling train and flight services, and shredding roofs and doors of houses across the country. Storm Eunice, the year's fourth such storm, passed over the Netherlands on Friday.

Extreme winds blew across much of the country and due to the storm, KLM cancelled nearly 170 flights. All train traffic came to halt at 2:00 p.m. Many schools and universities closed early on Friday to allow students and faculty to return home. Furthermore, many COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites were closed as a result of Eunice.

Deep Punj, a professor and researcher at Leiden University, informed Republic that no in-person classes were held on Friday afternoon due to the storm. He also stated that all in-person educational activities scheduled at Leiden University after 12:00 p.m. on Friday had been cancelled. According to him, KNMI issued a 'code red' weather alert across the nation. This occurs when severe weather has a significant impact on society and poses serious safety risks. Van Hebrew, another Leiden resident, told Republic that the wind ripped the door off his apartment. He went on to explain that Eunice was at its peak between 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (local time).

Wind gusts of more than 100 km/h were recorded across the country, according to the Netherlands' meteorological authority KNIM. Between 4 and 10 p.m. in the north, the storm was at its worst. Three people died in the Netherlands as a result of trees falling in and around Amsterdam, and a fourth died after driving into a fallen tree in the northern province of Groningen. Storm Eunice sparked fears because it had the potential to produce a "sting jet," a small area of extremely strong winds that may reach 100 mph.

Three individuals died in UK following the storm

Other countries affected by the storm include the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Ireland. At least three individuals died in the United Kingdom, including a man killed in southern England when his car collided with a tree, another guy killed in northwest England when his windshield was damaged by debris, and a lady in her 30s slain in London when a tree fell on her car, according to police. High winds in the Belgian town of Tournai caused a crane to tumble onto the top of a hospital. There were no early reports of deaths, while local media reported injuries without providing further specifics.

Image: BergMarten@Twitter

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Published February 19th, 2022 at 22:04 IST

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