Storms batter Western Europe

RENNES, France -- Hundreds of people were forced from their homes after rain lashed the Brittany coast.

About 200 homes were flooded and thousands of residents were left without electricity and telephone lines as gales blew across the region.

The storms also hit Britain where the Environment Agency placed 17 rivers on severe flood alert in England and Wales, and a further 135 on lesser flood watch.

The rain is expected to continue on Thursday moving across Europe in the shape of two different fronts, one stretching northwards across Scandinavia where it will fall as snow, before moving on to Russia.

Another will travel across Germany and Iberia, with fog affecting the Balkans.

No deaths have been reported in France nor Britain.

Northwestern France was struck by flash floods on Tuesday, which resulted in towns and their inhabitants being cut off.

Quimper and Quimperle, close to the Atlantic coast, as well as Landerneau, Chateaulin and the port town of Morlaix, were among the worst affected by a combination of record rain falls and unusually high tides.

Businesses and schools were abandoned and train services ground to a halt across the regions.

Parts of Britain were also hit by serious flooding after a stormy night of gale force winds of up to 80mph and heavy rain.

About 300 properties were flooded in one of the worst affected areas, the Midlands, after high tides swept down the River Severn and its tributaries.

The Environment Agency for England and Wales said that more than 100 miles of the Severn was put on severe flood alert and flood conditions are likely to persist for the week. A spokesman added: "The water we are seeing now on the River Severn is from Sunday and the water that has fallen in the last two days still has to come down river."

The agency said that between 10 and 40 properties were reported to have been flooded in areas along the River Tieffe in southern England. Aberfan and New Tredegar in south Wales also saw property damaged.

But river levels are not expected to reach October's record highs though, when flooding resulted in the worst damage for 50 years.

Several stretches of the River Thames were also issued with flood warnings with water in the town of Reading recording the highest levels since 1979.

A British Airways Boeing 747-200, carrying 116 passengers from Boston, became stuck in mud for 12 hours after it slid off a runway at Heathrow Airport on Tuesday evening causing departing flights to be cancelled and incoming planes to be diverted.

An investigation is being launched to find out why the incident happened as the plan taxied from the northern runway in strong winds and rain.

Flights to 14 European destinations and three long-haul flights to Boston, Newark, in New Jersey, and Kuwait, were cancelled.

Four ferries that were prevented from approaching English Channel ports by winds of 60 knots and heavy rain on Tuesday have now safely docked.

Train passengers faced disruption as sections of track remained closed after strong winds brought overhead power lines down on the tracks north of London and in the Midlands.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Eleven killed as storms lash western Europe
December 8, 2000
British floods fuelled by new rains
November 12, 2000
Queen thanks flood workers
November 14, 2000
No relief from deadly storms
November 7, 2000

Environment Agency of England and Wales
London-Heathrow Airport UK Weather Forecast
British Airways
P&O Stena Line

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