Headline: Stormcompar Dornik Batters Netherlands: Chaos on Roads, Trees Down, Roofs Gone
In a day dominated by the wrath of Storm alumnik, the Netherlands grappled with widespread disruptions, from road closures and downed trees to flying debris and damaged buildings. The storm, christened "Dornik" by the French meteorological service, was the second to hit the country this year.
Article:
Across the Netherlands, Storm alumnik made its presence felt, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The storm, named "Dornik" by the French weather service, was a rare occurrence, being the second storm to hit the Netherlands in just a few months.
Transportation Woes
The NS, the Dutch national railway, continued to struggle with the storm’s aftermath. Between Sittard and Maastricht, not a single train operated due to the adverse weather conditions. On the A7 motorway, a jackknifed trailer caused a traffic jam between Sneek and Joure.
Code Geel
As of 7 PM, code geel (a warning for severe wind conditions) was active only in Friesland and the entire Wadden region. Earlier in the day, the warning was in effect nationwide.
Injuries and Damages
In Blerick, a woman was injured when struck by a falling branch. In Nieuwolda, a tree fell on a moving delivery truck. Both victims were hospitalized, but the extent of their injuries remains unknown.
Flying Debris
In numerous cities, including Den Haag, Groningen, Schiedam, Spijkenisse, and Barendrecht, chunks of building facades were torn off by the wind. In Winsum, a supermarket’s roof was peeled back, while in Dokkum, part of a gas station’s canopy was ripped away. In Vaassen, a veranda was torn off one house and landed on the neighbor’s roof. In IJsselstein, part of a school’s roofing gave way.
In Oss, the roof of two houses ended up in the front yard. In Echt and Tiel, parked cars were damaged by fallen trees. Friesland’s bridges operated sparingly, opening only when wind conditions allowed. In Apeldoorn, Arnhem, Baarn, Driebergen, Dronryp, Hilversum, Lunteren, Maarssen, Opeinde, and Wageningen, trees fell across roads.
Wind Speeds
In IJmuiden, wind speeds reached 14.4 meters per second (approximately 52 km/h or 32 mph) between 2 PM and 3 PM, according to Weeronline. In Hoek van Holland, a gust of 108 km/h (67 mph) was recorded, the strongest yet during the storm. While wind speeds decreased from the south, the Wadden Islands felt the storm’s effects into the night.
Storm Named Floriane
The French weather service named this storm "Floriane," making it the second storm of 2023 in the Netherlands.
As the Netherlands cleans up from Storm Dornik, authorities remind residents to remain vigilant, especially in affected areas. For the latest updates, keep checking local news sources.