Western Europe cleans up after storm kills at least 12

Crews cleared fallen trees and worked to restore power to about 400,000 people in Britain as Western Europe cleaned up Saturday after one of the most devastating storms in years.

 At least 12 people died, many by falling trees, in Ireland, Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Named Storm Eunice by the UK and Irish weather services, and Storm Zeynep in Germany, Friday’s storm was the second to hit the region in a week.

 Winds toppled the spire of a church in Wells, southwest England, ripped off parts of the domed roof of London’s O2 Arena and left a trail of felled trees and damaged buildings across several countries in Europe.

 A gust of 196 kilometers an hour was provisionally recorded Friday on the Isle of Wight. If confirmed, it would be the highest ever in England. Hurricane-force winds started at 74 mph.

 According to the Met Office weather service more strong winds would hit the southern coasts of England and Wales on Saturday, with the potential for further damage, while snow and ice could cause disruption further north.

 The UK’s National Rail association said “routes across most of Great Britain” remained affected by the weather on Saturday morning, with disruptions to continue throughout the day.

 Transportation in Germany also remained largely disrupted, with railway operator Deutsche Bahn informing that no long-distance trains would operate north of Dortmund, Hannover and Berlin until at least 6 p.m.

 The storm left at least three people dead in Germany, including a man who fell as he was trying to repair a damaged roof and a driver whose car crashed into a tree that had fallen on a road.  In the northwestern city of Bremen, a 55-meter (180-foot) crane fell onto an unfinished office building.  A cleanup also was underway in the Netherlands, where four people died as Eunice tore across the country on Friday.  Train services, halted during the storm, remained disrupted with the company responsible for rail infrastructure claiming that it was working hard to repair “extensive” damage to tracks and overhead power lines.