Storm Austen Cuts Power to Over 160k Households in France, Disrupts Transport

By Staff, Agencies

Storm Austen has left more than 161,000 households without electricity in France as it approaches the country, prompting weather alerts and widespread disruption to transport services, electricity network operator Enedis announced early Friday.

According to Enedis, the power outages affected approximately 128,000 households in Brittany, 19,000 in Pays de la Loire, and another 14,000 in Normandy.

The operator said more than 2,000 employees were ready to respond to outages and restore electricity “as soon as conditions allow.”

Ahead of the storm's arrival, authorities placed 23 departments in northwestern France under an orange weather alert due to strong winds.

Transportation services have also been affected. Ferries operating between France and England remained docked Friday morning because of powerful winds and high waves, broadcaster BFMTV reported.

Train services across storm-hit regions were also severely disrupted, with interruptions expected to continue at least until midday, according to the broadcaster.

In the Finistère department, local authorities activated a crisis response center at the prefecture as strong winds swept through the area.

By midnight, departmental services had reportedly carried out 105 operations, primarily to clear roads blocked by storm-related debris. Firefighters were also mobilized for 45 emergency interventions.

Authorities and emergency crews remain on standby as Storm Austen advances, with efforts focused on responding to weather-related incidents, clearing affected roads, and restoring electricity where conditions permit.