Storm Austen leaves 72,000 homes without electricity in France

By Seyma Erkul Dayanc

ISTANBUL (AA) - Around 72,000 households in France remained without electricity Saturday following the passage of Storm Austen on Friday evening, electricity network operator Enedis said.

Brittany was the worst-affected region, with 29,900 customers without power, followed by Normandy, where 20,900 households were affected.

Austen was the first storm of the autumn to hit France.

On Thursday, national weather service Meteo-France issued orange weather alerts for 15 departments, forecasting gusts of up to 140 kilometers per hour (87 miles per hour) along the coast and locally reaching 120 kph (75 mph) inland.

Conditions were expected to gradually ease on Friday evening, according to the forecast.

Şeyma Erkul Dayanç