A powerful winter storm swept across southern Europe this week, plunging vast areas into darkness and leaving a trail of destruction, as emergency services raced to restore power and assist stranded residents.
In southern France alone, around 450,000 households remained without electricity on Friday, according to grid operator Enedis, a day after fierce winds and heavy rain battered the region.
The system, named Storm Nils by meteorologists, uprooted trees, flooded highways and halted transport links, disrupting daily life across parts of France, northern Spain and Portugal.
Authorities said at least four people died in weather-related incidents across the three countries, while dozens more were injured as emergency crews responded to collapsing structures, traffic accidents and flash flooding.
In France, a truck driver was killed when a falling tree smashed through his windscreen during high winds. The accident occurred on a rural stretch of road as the storm intensified late Thursday.
Another fatality was reported in the southwestern department of Tarn-et-Garonne, where a man fell from a ladder while attempting repairs in his garden, government spokesperson Maud Bregeon confirmed.
Spain also reported casualties, including a woman killed when the roof of an industrial warehouse collapsed under the force of the storm. Emergency responders there said dozens of people were treated for injuries caused by debris and falling objects.
In Portugal, swollen rivers and torrential rain caused severe flooding that weakened infrastructure. Officials reported that part of a viaduct partially collapsed after waters undermined its foundations, forcing traffic closures and precautionary evacuations.
French forecasters described the storm as “unusually strong” for this time of year, with gusts exceeding 120 kilometers per hour in exposed coastal and mountainous areas. Sheets of rain saturated farmland and turned secondary roads into rivers.
The severe conditions complicated repair efforts. Enedis said around 900,000 customers initially lost electricity at the height of the storm, but crews had restored service to roughly half of them by early Friday morning.
“Flooding complicates repairs because the fields are waterlogged and some roads are blocked,” the company’s crisis director said during a briefing, noting that heavy machinery and specialized teams were required to reach damaged lines.
Nearly 3,000 technicians were mobilized overnight, working in shifts to reconnect downed cables and replace broken poles. Helicopters were also deployed to survey remote areas and identify the most critical damage.
Transportation networks across the region suffered widespread disruption. Flights were canceled or delayed at several airports, while train services were suspended on vulnerable routes. Ferry crossings along the coast were temporarily halted due to rough seas.
On the roads, fallen trees and overturned trucks created dangerous conditions. Near the coastal town of Leucate, a heavy goods vehicle lay on its side after being caught by violent crosswinds, images released by Agence France-Presse showed.
Local officials urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and stay indoors until winds subsided. Schools in some districts remained closed as a precaution, and emergency shelters were opened for families displaced by flooding.
Storm Nils follows a series of extreme weather episodes that have battered the Iberian Peninsula in recent months, bringing repeated floods and forcing thousands to evacuate their homes. Scientists warn that such intense events are becoming more frequent.
For many residents, the focus now is on recovery. Utility crews continued working through the weekend to restore electricity, while municipal workers cleared debris and pumped water from inundated neighborhoods.
Authorities said the full extent of the damage would only become clear once waters recede, but early estimates suggest significant losses to infrastructure, agriculture and transport.
As calmer conditions return, officials are urging communities to remain vigilant, warning that saturated ground and weakened structures may still pose risks in the days ahead.