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SEE: Dramatic scenes of storm Ciaran battering north-west France
A crane is split in two, waves pummel coastal barriers and lightning strikes cut electricity
The ferocious storm Ciaran arrived in France yesterday evening (November 1), causing considerable damage as record-breaking winds battered the north-west overnight.
A lorry driver was also killed by a falling tree near the Belgian border and 1.2 million homes were left without electricity.
Read more: Driver killed and 1,300 homes evacuated as storm Ciaran hits France
Many photos and videos of dramatic scenes have been taken of the storm and The Connexion has compiled some below.
Violent waves, strong winds and fallen trees
In Brest (Bretagne) amongst other areas in France, winds were so strong that several trees fell.
🇫🇷🌬️ DIRECT - Images impressionnantes du boulevard Montaigne de #Brest où la plupart des arbres sont tombés cette nuit. Les vents ont atteint une vitesse record de 156 km/h au passage de cette tempête #Ciarán.#TempeteCiaràn pic.twitter.com/K4DlTPQBpv
— HQ | L’info des ados (@InfoHugoQuentin) November 2, 2023
🌀 La tempête Ciarán s'intensifie en Bretagne. On relève déjà 148 km/h à la Pointe Saint-Mathieu (29) et 134 km/h à Belle-Île (56) ! Images de Carnac. 🌊 (via @Viewsurf) pic.twitter.com/oAVvNfVdlq
— Météo Express (@MeteoExpress) November 1, 2023
In Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique) waves reached several metres high as winds whipped around coastal barriers during the night.
#TempeteCiaran #SaintNazaire le pic de la marée approche, les #vagues passent par-dessus et terminent leur course sur la promenade. Prudence. pic.twitter.com/JU9X2k4kQK
— France Bleu Loire Océan (@bleuloireocean) November 2, 2023
Fierce winds were still hitting the area at around 08:00 this morning.
#TempeteCiaran #SaintNazaire ambiance western sur la place du Commando pic.twitter.com/D0M3fpMIco
— France Bleu Loire Océan (@bleuloireocean) November 2, 2023
Popular tourist destination Saint-Malo, on the English Channel coastline, has also seen dramatic waves battering its coastal defences.
Une mer encore bien démontée ce matin à Saint-Malo!! #StormCiaran #Ciaran #SaintMalo pic.twitter.com/XPRRKEn65w
— Mouldeux Yann (@Yannou354) November 2, 2023
À quelques minutes de la pleine mer à Saint-Malo. pic.twitter.com/ZsdeOJ2svN
— France Bleu Armorique (@bleuarmorique) November 2, 2023
A number of record-breaking winds were recorded – the video below shows where the strongest winds were measured.
Crane falls over in Brest causing evacuations
Several people had to be evacuated from their homes after a crane was split in two in Brest (Brittany) during the gales. Videos of the crane can be seen below.
🌀 Sous la tempête Ciarán, une grue s'est en partie brisée à Brest dans le Finistère cette nuit ! La ville a battu son record absolu de vent avec 156 km/h ! 💨 (© Patrick Mézard) pic.twitter.com/6i7NJu6vdF
— Météo Express (@MeteoExpress) November 2, 2023
Bras de grue qui se brise à Brest. #brest #ciaran pic.twitter.com/mG8LAfGVx9
— Patrick Mézard (@pmezard) November 2, 2023
“It is the first time this has happened,” an unnamed worker from the local authorities. “For the moment, we don't know what happened, it's still too early to say,” he added.
This video shows the damage in Brest early this morning after the most intense winds passed through.
A Brest, les habitants découvrent les dégâts après la #tempête #Ciaran. pic.twitter.com/OKg9Hj76Pr
— France Bleu Breizh Izel (@Francebleubzh) November 2, 2023
Areas as far inland as Evreux (almost 100 km from the Channel coast) also saw damage.
⚠️Tempête #Ciaran dans l’#Eure
— Préfet de l'Eure (@Prefet27) November 2, 2023
La sous-préfète d’Evreux s’est rendue sur place à Evreux (La Madeleine) pour mesurer l’ampleur des dégâts. pic.twitter.com/onSyDwMkmY
Lightning strikes cut electricity for 1.2 millions homes
Enedis, the company that manages the national grid in France, said around 1.2 million homes in the north-west - mainly in Brittany - had lost power due to the storm. Most remained without power into the morning.
The video below shows a lightning strike immediately followed by blackouts in the area surrounding Jugon-les-Lacs in Côtes-d'Armor (Brittany).
Les dégâts sur les lignes électriques s’annoncent nombreux en #Bretagne. Après le #Finistère, Power flash dans les Côtes-d’Armor à Jugon-les-Lacs (entre Lamballe et Dinan).
— Kévin Floury (@kevinfloury) November 2, 2023
Vidéo prise par @ErwanDaniel3 #tempête #Ciaran #Bretagnepic.twitter.com/AHUPor0its
You can see more videos of recent storms in France, including the damage caused by an autumnal cévenol episode in the south-east and a tornado in Gard earlier this week at the links below:
VIDEO: Tornado uproots trees in small town in southern France
SEE: Damage in south-east after storms lash coastal areas and inland