The Hague: Strong gusts of wind caused widespread disruption across the Netherlands on Friday, with over 100 flights cancelled at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, and railways, road traffic, and waterways impacted.
The Dutch national weather institute KNMI issued a code yellow weather alert for nearly the entire country, covering 10 of the 12 provinces. Only the southern provinces of North Brabant and Limburg remain under code green.
Wind gusts of 75 to 90 km per hour were reported, with coastal areas experiencing gusts of 90 to 100 km per hour. On the northern Wadden Islands, wind speeds could reach as high as 100 to 120 kilometres per hour, Xinhua news agency reported.
Travellers passing through Schiphol were warned to prepare for cancellations and delays. Over 100 flights had already been cancelled as of Friday morning.
The storm also disrupted train services, with trees and branches blown onto tracks in several locations.
Road traffic faced significant challenges as well. The Markerwaard dike near the province of Flevoland was closed due to strong winds, and the A15 motorway toward Nijmegen was shut down after a truck jackknifed.
High water levels and strong winds forced the closure of the Ramspol storm surge barrier near Kampen in Overijssel province, halting shipping traffic temporarily. The closure was a precaution to prevent flooding in nearby areas, including the city of Zwolle.
(IANS)
