Hurricane-force winds and tidal surges have killed at least seven people in northern Europe, flooded parts of a German city, disrupted flights and rail transport and left hundreds of thousands of homes without electricity.
Atlantic storm Xaver hit Britain on Thursday and barrelled on into Germany, Poland and southern Scandinavia.
Two people died in Britain, one in Sweden and one in Denmark. In northern Poland, a tree blew onto a car killing three people inside.
On Thursday, two Filipino sailors were swept overboard from a ship off southern Sweden and have remained missing,
In eastern England about 10,000 homes were evacuated in Norfolk and Suffolk, the BBC reports. Several homes collapsed into the sea at Hemsby when the storm battered the clifftop.
The Thames Barrier was closed for a second day to protect London from the tidal surge.
Hamburg has experienced its biggest tidal surges since the 1960s. The city's fish market and some streets by the river Elbe were flooded.
The port of Hamburg, which handles a huge amount of European trade, was shut overnight on Thursday but has since reopened.
There is severe disruption in southern Sweden, with all rail services cancelled in the Skane region. Radio Sweden reports planes have been grounded at Sturup airport and Gothenburg's Landvetter airport. Fallen trees have blocked many roads in southern Sweden and heavy snow is adding to the chaos.
On Thursday winds of up to 228 km/h battered Scotland. England's east coast experienced its worst tidal surge in 60 years, while in north Wales residents had to be rescued by lifeboat crews.
Homes collapsed into the sea during a tidal surge at Hemsby, in the east of England Photo: AFP
A storm spotter on the sea front in Malmo, southern Sweden. Photo: AFP
Waves lash at the auction hall at Hamburg's historic fish market. Photo: AFP
