Storm Eleanor Northern Europe suffers 😢 power cuts and disruption*

Storm Eleanor  Northern Europe suffers 😢 power cuts and disruption*

Winter storm Eleanor has swept into most of northern Europe, including France and Germany after battering the UK, cutting power to tens of thousands of homes and affecting transport.

In northern France, the storm cut power to more than 200,000 households and Eleanor is set to move to other regions throughout the day, including Corsica, where gusts could reach 200km/h.

Switzerland - where it was reported that about 14,000 homes were without power - and Austria, where the avalanche risk was expected to be raised to four on a scale of five in several areas, have also been affected.

Belgium was put on "orange" alert, the third of four warning levels, with officials urging people to be cautious when going out because of tree branches and other flying objects.

The Met Office recorded gusts reaching 100mph (161km/h) overnight with a weather yellow warning still in place for Wales, England, most of Northern Ireland and parts of southern Scotland.