At least 8 dead and others injured as 120mph Storm Eunice batters Europe
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Storm Eunice killed at least eight people in Europe on Friday, pummelling Britain with record-breaking winds and forcing millions to take shelter as it disrupted flights, trains and ferries across Western Europe.
A woman in her thirties died after a tree fell on a car in Muswell Hill Road, Highgate, shortly after 4pm in England's first confirmed fatality from the storm.
Another man died after a vehicle collided with a fallen tree in the southern English county of Hampshire.
In the Netherlands, three people were killed by toppled trees. In Belgium, high winds brought a crane down onto the roof of a hospital and a British man died after being blown from his boat into the water.
A man died in Ireland after being struck by a falling tree while clearing storm debris, RTE reported.
As per reports, the Atlantic storm battered northwestern Europe on Friday with record winds of up to 122 miles per hour, knocking out power for tens of thousands and shredding the roof of London's O2 arena.
"Storm Eunice is really packing a punch," Met Office Chief Meteorologist Frank Saunders said. "We only issue red weather warnings when we think there is a threat to life from the weather."
The Met Office said a gust of 122 mph (196 kph) was recorded at The Needles on the Isle of Wight, provisionally a record for the most powerful gust ever recorded in England. Later on Friday, the Met Office said the fiercest winds from the storm were heading towards Scandinavia and northern mainland Europe, where warnings had been issued.
Planes were buffeted so strongly by gusts at some British airports that pilots were forced to abandon landings.
A total of 436 flights were cancelled across the United Kingdom amid record winds from storm Eunice, according to Cirium data.
More than 100,000 buildings were left without power, distributors said. Ferries and trains were cancelled.
"We should all follow the advice and take precautions to keep ourselves safe," Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. "I thank responders for all their efforts.
