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Hundreds of Thousands Without Power in France and Britain

Published January 9, 2026, 10:23
Hundreds of Thousands Without Power in France and Britain

Storm Gerret is hitting Northern Europe, causing power outages to hundreds of thousands of households in France and Britain. In France, around 380,000 households have been left without electricity, mainly in the regions of Normandy and Brittany, while in Britain the number of affected people amounts to 57,000 homes, with 65,000 households without power in Cornwall. Wind gusts of up to 150 km/h were recorded in northwestern France and 213 km/h in Barfleur, resulting in the suspension of train services between Paris and Normandy. In Britain, the storm brought additional snow after a week of low temperatures. Hundreds of schools are expected to remain closed in Scotland and parts of central England. Railway companies are warning passengers not to travel and some services have been cancelled. The British meteorological service (Met Office) has issued a red alert for strong winds in the Isles of Scilly and large parts of Cornwall, covering around half a million people. The Met Office also warns of very large waves that make coastal areas dangerous.