Photos: Severe weather hits northwestern Europe
December 5, 2013
A tree surgeon works to remove a tree, blown down by the wind onto a car, in Davidsons Mains, Edinburgh, Scotland, Thursday Dec. 5, 2013. Gale-force winds hit Scotland on Thursday, causing a fatal truck accident, halting all trains and leaving tens of thousands of homes without electricity as much of northwestern Europe braced for a storm that was expected to bring flooding to coastal areas. Winds gusting up to 142 miles (229 kilometers) per hour were measured overnight in the Scottish Highlands, and many roads and bridges were closed. All train services in Scotland were suspended; Network Rail spokesman Nick King said that "there's too much debris and too much damage to equipment to continue. (AP Photo/PA, David Cheskin) ( Europe Storm )
Police at the scene where a lorry driver has died after his heavy good vehicle toppled on to a number of cars on the A801 in West Lothian, Scotland, 05 December 2013. A powerful Atlantic winter storm made landfall on 05 December 2013 in Scotland, knocking out the region's transport, as the rest of Northern Europe braced for hurricane-force winds. EPA/ANDREW MILLIGAN EDITORS NOTE NUMBER PLATE PIXELATED BY PICTURE DESK ( BRITAIN SCOTLAND STORM )
A man using his cellular phone walks while holding a broken umbrella on December 5, 2013 in Utrecht, The Netherlands. As forecasters sounded a "code orange" extreme weather warning, The Netherlands is preparing for heavy storms with surging tides and winds predicted to gust up to 130 km/h (81 miles per hour) in places in the north. AFP PHOTO / ANP / ROBIN UTRECHT * ( 525200369 )
People take photos on Blackpool's main promenade as severe gale force winds hit the area, in Blackpool, England, Thursday Dec. 5, 2013. Much of northwestern Europe braced for a storm that was expected to bring flooding to coastal areas. (AP Photo/PA, John Giles) ( Europe Weather Storm )
A woman stands in front of a huge wave on the seafront, in Rhyl, Wales, Thursday Dec. 5, 2013. (AP Photo/PA, Peter Byrne) ( Europe Storm )
People are rescued by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) from the floods as heavy seas and high tides sweep across the country in in Rhyl, Britain, 05 December 2013. EPA/PETER BYRNE ( BRITAIN WALES STORM )
Trees are covered with snow on Brocken Mountain near Schierke, Germany, 05 December 2013. Storm front Xaver will reach full force on later the afternoon. EPA/RICO LOEB ( GERMANY WEATHER STORM )
A woman tries to hold a rain cape in the wind in Wenningstedt on the isle of Sylt, Germany, 05 December 2013. Storm front Xaver will reach full force on later the afternoon. EPA/AXEL HEIMKEN ( GERMANY WEATHER STORM )
A worker with a chain saw cuts branches after a tree landed on a car in Davidsons Mains, Edinburgh Scotland, 05 December 2013. EPA/DAVID CHESKIN ( BRITAIN SCOTLAND STORM )
A pilot cutter enters harbour through the breakwater in Ystad, Southern Sweden, on 05 December 2013 as the search is on for two missing from a Dutch freighter in the heavy seas and freezing waters off Ystad. The storm front is expected to hit southwestern Sweden later the afternoon. EPA/JOHAN NILSSON ( SWEDEN WEATHER STORM )
A man runs through sand blown up by the wind at the North Sea beach in Blankenberge, Belgium, 05 December 2013. Storm front 'Xaver' will hit the Belgian North Sea with heavy gusts and a wind velocity of more than 100 kilometers per hour on 05 December. EPA/JULIEN WARNAND ( BELGIUM WEATHER STORM )
A Scandinavian Ferry from Trelleborg heads into the port of Rostock-Warnemuende, Germany, 05 December 2013. Storm front Xaver has already reached the coast of Germany. EPA/BERND WUESTNECK ( GERMANY WATHER STORM )
Waves lash the ferry pier on the North Sea coast in Dagebuell, Germany, 05 December 2013. Storm front Xaver will reach full force later the afternoon. EPA/CARSTEN REHDER ( GERMANY WATHER STORM )
A firefighter unloads sandbags from a fire engine in Westerland on the isle of Sylt, Germany, 05 December 2013. Storm front Xaver has reached the North Sea coast of Germany. EPA/AXEL HEIMKEN ( GERMANY WEATHER STORM )
A man stands in the wind at the Pier of the North Sea in Blankenberge, Belgium, 05 December 2013. Storm 'Xaver' will hit the Belgian North Sea with heavy gusts and a wind velocity of more than 100 kilometers per hour on 05 December. EPA/JULIEN WARNAND ( BELGIUM WEATHER STORM XAVER )
People walk on the beach of Scheveningen, The Netherlands, 05 December 2013. A heavy storm is forecasted in mainly the northern coast area. EPA/LEX VAN LIESHOUT ( NETHERLANDS WEATHER STORM )
A police officer asks two young surfers to leave the beach at the North Sea in Blankenberge, Belgium, 05 December 2013. Storm 'Xaver' will hit the Belgian North Sea with heavy gusts and a wind velocity of more than 100 kilometers per hour on 05 December. EPA/JULIEN WARNAND ( BELGIUM WEATHER STORM )
Men hold onto a handrail as waves lash the ferry pier on the North Sea coast in Dagebuell,Germany, 05 December 2013. Storm front Xaver will reach full force later the afternoon. EPA/CARSTEN REHDER ( GERMANY WEATHER STORM )
Waves lash the ferry pier on the North Sea coast in Dagebuell,Germany, 05 December 2013. Storm front Xaver will reach full force later the afternoon. EPA/CARSTEN REHDER ( GERMANY WEATHER STORM )
Passengers struggle with the wind after arriving by ferry from the Frisian island Vlieland in the harbor of Harlingen, The Netherlands, 05 December 2013. EPA/CATRINUS VAN DER VEEN ( NETHERLANDS WEATHER STORM )
A fallen tree blocks a road in South Belfast, Northern Ireland, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013. Much of northwestern Europe braced for a storm that was expected to bring flooding to coastal areas. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) ( Europe Storm )
Meteorologist Ingo Nitschke of the German weather service measures the storm force in Schierke, Germany, 05 December 2013. Storm front Xaver has reached the North Sea in Germany. EPA/MATTHIAS BEIN ( GERMANY WEATHER STORM )
Spectators look at the strong North Sea waves at a coastal town in Blankenberge, Belgium, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013. A severe storm will hit the Belgian coast at full force overnight. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe) ( Belgium Weather )
Blackpool Main Promenade under flood water following high tide and a tidal surge as severe gale force winds hit the area, in Blackpool, England, Thursday Dec. 5, 2013. Much of northwestern Europe braced for a storm that was expected to bring flooding to coastal areas. (AP Photo/PA, John Giles) ( Europe Weather Storm )
A fallen tree blocks a road in South Belfast, Northern Ireland, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) ( Europe Storm )
A rescue vessel is on a control tour on a rough sea in front of the North Sea island Norderney, northern Germany, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013. (AP Photo/dpa, Frank Kahl) ( Germany Europe Storm )
High winds and the sea batter the Antrim coast road, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013. (AP Photo, PA, Paul Faith) ( Europe Storm )
A police car patrols the sea front promenade covered in foam and sea spray in Blackpool, north west England, on December 5, 2013 as high winds hit the north of England and Scotland. A storm lashed Scotland and other parts of Britain with gusts of up to 142 mph (228 kmh), killing one person. AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images ( 525197975 )
The tide turns to froth by the Lifeboat Station on the promenade in Blackpool, north west England, on December 5, 2013 as high winds hit the north of England and Scotland. AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images ( 525198030 )
A car drives to the ferry dock at the North Sea coast in Dagebuell, Germany, on December 5, 2013. AFP PHOTO / DPA / CARSTEN REHDER /AFP/Getty Images ( 525198785 )
Litter bins are washed along the promenade and waves batter the sea wall in Blackpool, north west England, on December 5, 2013 as high winds hit the north of England and Scotland. AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images ( 525198803 )
Waves hit the coast in Dagebuell, Germany, on December 5, 2013. Storm front Xaver has reached the North Sea in Germany. AFP PHOTO / DPA / CARSTEN REHDER / AFP/Getty Images ( 525200394 )
A traffic guard redirects cars away from the Oresund bridge in Malmo, southern Sweden, that leads to Copenhagen, Denmark, on December 5, 2013 in anticipation of Xaver storm. The bridge was closed for railway and road traffic in anticipation for Xaver storm, called Sven in Sweden. AFP PHOTO / TT NEWS AGENCY/ JOHAN NILSSON /AFP/Getty Images ( 525200456 )
Cars are abandoned as flood waters recede in New Brighton, north west England, on December 5, 2013 after high winds and flooding hit the north of England and Scotland. AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images ( 525201682 )
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