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Deadly Hurricane-Force Storm Batters UK, Europe

Deadly Hurricane-Force Storm Batters UK, Europe
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Deadly Hurricane-Force Storm Batters UK, Europe

A major storm with wind gusts of up to 160 kilometers per hour lashed southern Britain, the Netherlands, France and Germany Monday, knocking down trees, flooding low-lying areas and causing travel chaos. As many as 13 people were reported killed.

Two people were crushed to death by falling trees and a teenage boy was feared dead after the worst storm in five years hit Britain.

More than 500,000 homes lost power across Britain and France. Thousands were later re-connected.

The storm sparked mass cancellations of train services across southern England, Denmark, the Netherlands and parts of Germany. London's Heathrow airport cancelled 130 flights, about 10 percent, while delays were reported on the Eurostar cross-Channel train service because of speed restrictions.

The deadly storm has no formal name - and has not officially been classified as a hurricane due to a meteorological standard - but it has been dubbed the St. Jude storm (after the patron saint of lost causes) on social networks.

Heavy Winds, Rain Disrupt Travel in Britain

Waves crash against a lighthouse at Newhaven, southeast England, Oct. 28, 2013.
1/6 Waves crash against a lighthouse at Newhaven, southeast England, Oct. 28, 2013.
People walks along the shoreline as waves crash onto the beach in Brighton, England, Oct. 28, 2013.
2/6 People walks along the shoreline as waves crash onto the beach in Brighton, England, Oct. 28, 2013.
Emergency services work at the scene of a fallen tree at Bath Road in Hounslow, west London, Oct. 28, 2013.
3/6 Emergency services work at the scene of a fallen tree at Bath Road in Hounslow, west London, Oct. 28, 2013.
A cyclist pushes his bicycle past the Cabinet Office with a collapsed crane on its roof in London, Oct. 28, 2013.
4/6 A cyclist pushes his bicycle past the Cabinet Office with a collapsed crane on its roof in London, Oct. 28, 2013.
A bus travels past fallen trees in Islington, north London, Oct. 28, 2013.
5/6 A bus travels past fallen trees in Islington, north London, Oct. 28, 2013.
The roof of a pedestrian bridge that collapsed during strong winds is seen outside London Bridge Station in London, Oct. 28, 2013.
6/6 The roof of a pedestrian bridge that collapsed during strong winds is seen outside London Bridge Station in London, Oct. 28, 2013.
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