Storm Benjamin leaves roughly 140,000 homes in France without electricity

Storm Benjamin swept across France this week, causing widespread disruptions to transport and power supplies across much of the country.

Train traffic was heavily affected in eight regions, while roughly 140,000 homes were left without electricity, Caliber.Az reports per French media. 

The storm brought powerful winds reaching 100–130 km/h, with gusts in some areas topping 160 km/h. French meteorological services issued an orange weather alert—the second-highest level of warning—for 19 departments.

The severe weather led to major interruptions in railway services across western, northern, and central France. The most significant disruptions were reported in Normandy, Brittany, New Aquitaine, and the Provence–Alpes–Côte d’Azur region. Train traffic was also halted in Hauts-de-France, Burgundy–Franche-Comté, Auvergne–Rhône–Alpes, and the Centre–Loire Valley. In several areas, services were suspended and some routes were canceled entirely.

The national railway operator SNCF has advised passengers to check real-time updates through its mobile app before traveling.

The latest storm follows a series of extreme weather events in France this month. On October 20, Le Parisien reported that a violent storm and tornado struck the Val-d’Oise department near Paris, causing severe damage in several towns, including Hermon, Aubonne, and Franconville.

By Sabina Mammadli