Storm Austen: three departments in northern France remain on orange alert, 242,000 households without electricity

Storm Austen, which began in western France, is moving towards the Benelux, leading to a downgrade of orange alerts in most affected departments. While 20 departments have shifted to yellow alerts, only Nord, Pas-de-Calais, and Somme remain under orange alert. The storm has caused significant power outages affecting over 200,000 households and resulted in one fatality in Manche. Wind gusts reached up to 160 km/h, causing damage and disruptions in transportation, including air travel and regional train services. Emergency services have responded to numerous incidents, including fallen trees and damaged roofs, particularly in Finistère and Seine-Maritime.