The powerful storm "Herminia" struck several European countries on January 25. Northern regions of Spain were severely affected. In Galicia, over 13,000 people were left without electricity, and many residents experienced disruptions in water and other utility services. In the municipality of Castro de Rey, pumping stations were flooded, leading to water supply outages.
In the city of León, authorities closed all pedestrian bridges due to strong winds and the risk of collapse.
In the region of Castilla y León, heavy rains turned into snowstorms, creating hazardous road conditions. Some sections of roads had to be closed.
In the Basque Country, around 200 incidents were reported, with the province of Biscay being the hardest hit. Winds reached up to 160 km/h in some areas, knocking down branches and trees, blocking roads. Several airports experienced disruptions.
Storm "Herminia" also hit the northwest of France, bringing heavy rain and winds with gusts up to 100 km/h to the Normandy and Brittany regions, causing widespread flooding and destruction. At least two people died as a result of the storm.
Around 400 residents of the city of Rennes were evacuated due to severe flooding, which local authorities described as the worst in the last 40 years. Some areas were completely submerged. The flood caused the closure of many schools and roads. Rail and road traffic were disrupted. Water levels in the region's rivers reached or exceeded historic levels recorded in 2001. A red alert was issued for the region.
Other countries, such as Portugal, the UK, and Ireland, were also heavily impacted by the storm.
It is worth noting that "Herminia" followed storm "Eowyn" into Europe and preceded the next weather system, called Ivo.
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