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Helsinki: A powerful winter storm swept through northern Europe over the weekend, killing at least four people, destroying houses and cars, closing bridges and causing flooding and halting transport while leaving thousands of households without electricity.
Storm Malik was advancing in the Nordic region on Monday AEDT, bringing strong gusts of wind, and extensive rain and snowfall in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.
High water in the harbour in Lomma, Malmo, Sweden.Credit:AP
Malik reached the Nordic region and northern Germany early on Sunday AEDT after moving in from Britain where it caused havoc with material damage and transport chaos, hitting Scotland particularly bad.
In Scotland, a boy and a 60-year-old woman were killed by falling trees as strong winds battered northern parts of Britain.
Wind gusts of more than 160 km/h have been reported in parts of Scotland, causing widespread disruption to transport and power cuts to tens of thousands of homes.
Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon warned that another storm due to hit the region on Sunday may be “more severe for parts of Scotland” than anticipated.
A house in Gateshead, north-east England lost its roof after the region was battered by strong winds from Storm Malik. Credit:AP
In Denmark, excessively strong winds with heavy rain caused the temporary closure of several bridges, including the key Oeresund road and rail bridge connecting Copenhagen and the Swedish city of Malmo.
Danish media reported that a 78-year-old woman died from severe injuries after falling in strong winds. In neighbouring Germany, local media reported that a man was killed on Saturday after being hit by a billboard that was loosened by the storm.