ARQUESParts of northern Europe had to deal with the latest in a series of Atlantic storms that dropped rain or snow on already wet terrain, while northern Scandinavia faced extreme cold.
In northern France, emergency workers assisted in the evacuation of residents from flooded homes in the town of Arques in the Pas de Calais department, which had flooded for the second time in two months following heavy rain on Wednesday.
Another 20-40 mm (0.85-1.7 inches) of rain was forecast over the next several hours, and a red signal suggested that the river Aa was on the verge of overflowing.
For the time being, no large-scale evacuations are planned in the region, according to Van Cauter.
Following severe snowfall, the southern town of Kristiansand in Norway announced the closure of its schools and the cancellation of all public buses.
On both sides of the North Sea, the same storm, dubbed Henk, delivered gales and heavy rain to areas of England and Wales on Tuesday, causing power outages, interrupting rail travel, and prompting the closure of major roads due to floods.
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In southwestern England, trees were blown across roadways and train tracks, killing one motorist.
A 59-year-old lady died on Tuesday in Belgium’s East Flanders province after being hit by a blown-away fence amid the country’s heavy rainfall, local governor Carina Van Cauter said in a statement on Wednesday.
According to the Swedish Met Office, the Arctic town of Kvikkjokk reported an overnight temperature of -43.6 Celsius (-46.5 Fahrenheit), Sweden’s coldest for the month of January in 25 years.
A woman went missing in a blizzard while out skiing in Lapland, northern Finland, on Tuesday and was subsequently found dead in an avalanche. The hunt for her child was still ongoing on Wednesday, according to Finnish police.
Scandinavia is currently experiencing an extraordinary winter onslaught, with record-breaking low temperatures and heavy snowfall wreaking havoc in Norway. The extreme weather has paralyzed cities and towns, causing major interruptions in daily life.
Southern Norway was inundated by snow, particularly in Arendal, where an incredible 70 cm (27.6 inches) fell in a single day. Forecasters predict an extra 40 cm (15.7 inches) of snowfall. As a result, local governments were forced to close schools and kindergartens. Due to the severity of the snowfall, mail delivery and waste collection services were halted. Due to the hazardous conditions, inhabitants in Kristiansand were recommended to work remotely.
