Dennis triggers flooding, power outages across northern Europe

LONDON: Storm Dennis is continuing to wreak havoc as it ventures beyond the UK and into northern Europe, with Germany, Estonia and a number of Scandinavian countries all affected by flooding, power outages and severe weather conditions.

In Trippstadt, Germany, seven people were injured on Monday when their vehicle collided with a tree that had fallen onto the road.

Two more people sustained injuries in similar circumstances in the northeastern city of Rostock, according to local media reports.

In Dortmund, a commuter train carrying 67 passengers crashed into a tree that had been brought down on the tracks by high winds.

Hamburg’s famous fish market has also been flooded for the second time this month after the river Elbe burst its banks.

Further north, strong winds and heavy rain caused flooding, road closures and electricity outages across the Nordic and Baltic regions. Some 1,200 households are reportedly without electricity in Estonia.

In Denmark, the southwestern city of Kolding was flooded following downpours and gale force winds.

Emergency services in the city, on the eastern side of the Jutland peninsula, have been pumping out water from basements and using sand bags to try to contain the flooding.

Several ferry crossings between Denmark and Norway were halted because of the storm.

This is the second time in a week that Europe has been hit by intense winter storms and experts are now warning that climate change is likely driving an increase in the phenomenon. – Reuters