Storm Austen: 23 departments in the north and west of France on orange alert, over 160,000 households without electricity

Around 161,000 households were without electricity due to Storm Austen, which caused strong winds in Brittany and western Manche. The storm is expected to move northeast throughout the day. Enedis reported that the outages affected 128,000 homes in Brittany, 19,000 in Pays de la Loire, and 14,000 in Normandy, with over 2,000 workers ready to assist when conditions allow. Météo-France issued an orange alert for wind in 23 departments, including Île-de-France and Oise. The Manche region is particularly vulnerable, with gusts reaching up to 140 km/h. Train services are suspended across Normandy and parts of Brittany, with disruptions expected to continue into Saturday. Saint-Malo's Route du Rhum village is closed ahead of a major event.