Trail of chaos after gales hit

Gale-force winds hit Scotland on Thursday, causing a fatal truck accident, halting all trains and leaving tens of thousands of homes without electricity. They struck as much of northwestern Europe was bracing for a storm that was expected to bring flooding to coastal areas. Winds of up to 229 km/h hit the Scottish Highlands, and many roads and bridges were closed. All train services in Scotland were suspended and Network Rail spokesman Nick King said, “There’s too much debris and too much damage to equipment to continue.”