[An Nahar] A fierce storm battered northern Europe Thursday, leaving three people dead or missing, causing mass transport disruption and threatening the biggest tidal surge in decades.Winds of up to 142 miles (228 kilometers) per hour battered northern Britannia while authorities evacuated residents and boosted flood defenses in low-lying areas across the region.
Dozens of flights were canceled or delayed in the Netherlands, Germany and Scotland, while rail services were shut down in several countries and one of Europe's longest bridges -- connecting Sweden to Denmark -- was to close.
Tens of thousands of homes were also left without power as so-called Storm Xaver tore through the area.
In Scotland, a lorry driver was killed when his vehicle toppled onto a number of cars near Edinburgh,
"Hoot, mon! M'truck![CRASH]"
while at least two other people were maimed by falling trees, police said.
Two sailors were reportedly swept overboard from a ship 14 miles off the southern Swedish coast on Thursday. Air-sea rescue services failed to find them.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said he had convened a meeting of the government's emergency committee to ensure necessary measures were being taken.