• Large waves and high winds associated with Storm Eleanor crash against the lighthouse and seawall at Porthcawl in South Wales. Toby Melville / Reuters
    Large waves and high winds associated with Storm Eleanor crash against the lighthouse and seawall at Porthcawl in South Wales. Toby Melville / Reuters
  • The "Tour de Ski" Cross Country World Cup was cancelled because of stormy weather in Oberstdorf, southern Germany. Christof Stache / AFP Photo
    The "Tour de Ski" Cross Country World Cup was cancelled because of stormy weather in Oberstdorf, southern Germany. Christof Stache / AFP Photo
  • People brave the wind on the seafront of Wimereux, northern France. Francois Lo Presti / AFP Photo
    People brave the wind on the seafront of Wimereux, northern France. Francois Lo Presti / AFP Photo
  • Children stand on the seafront as a wave crashes over the sea wall in Aberystwyth in West Wales. Aaron Chown / PA via AP
    Children stand on the seafront as a wave crashes over the sea wall in Aberystwyth in West Wales. Aaron Chown / PA via AP
  • Waves crash over the tidal wall as a motorist travels along the coastal road in New Brighton, north west England. Paul Ellis / AFP Photo
    Waves crash over the tidal wall as a motorist travels along the coastal road in New Brighton, north west England. Paul Ellis / AFP Photo
  • Storm Eleanor brought 110-160kph gusts and torrential rain to some parts of the UK and Ireland creating floods and cutting electricity supplies in some areas. Christopher Furlong / Getty Images
    Storm Eleanor brought 110-160kph gusts and torrential rain to some parts of the UK and Ireland creating floods and cutting electricity supplies in some areas. Christopher Furlong / Getty Images
  • Scaffoldings collapsed due to strong winds in Paris' 17th district. Stephane de Sakutin / AFP Photo
    Scaffoldings collapsed due to strong winds in Paris' 17th district. Stephane de Sakutin / AFP Photo
  • A beach patrol vehicle drives past waves crashing against the breakwater in Blackpool. Peter Powell / EPA
    A beach patrol vehicle drives past waves crashing against the breakwater in Blackpool. Peter Powell / EPA
  • A man walks a dog along the banks of Lake Constance, in Rorschach, Switzerland. Gian Ehrenzeller / EPA
    A man walks a dog along the banks of Lake Constance, in Rorschach, Switzerland. Gian Ehrenzeller / EPA
  • A fallen tree in Harrow, north west London, Neil Hall / EPA
    A fallen tree in Harrow, north west London, Neil Hall / EPA
  • Waves whipped up by the wind of Storm Eleanor lash against the sea wall in New Brighton. Christopher Furlong / Getty Images
    Waves whipped up by the wind of Storm Eleanor lash against the sea wall in New Brighton. Christopher Furlong / Getty Images
  • The Pirate Ship art installation, made from driftwood, braves the waves whipped up by the wind of Storm Eleanor. Christopher Furlong / Getty Images
    The Pirate Ship art installation, made from driftwood, braves the waves whipped up by the wind of Storm Eleanor. Christopher Furlong / Getty Images

Three dead as Storm Eleanor lashes UK and Europe


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Three people have died as storm Eleanor swept across most of northern Europe.

A skier died in the French Alps and 15 others were injured, four seriously, elsewhere in France.

In Spain, two people were killed when they were swept away by a huge wave on the northern Basque coast.

Storm Eleanor swept into France, Belgium and the Netherlands on Wednesday after tearing through England and Northern Ireland, cutting power to tens of thousands while forcing airports and train services to halt operations.

Heavy winds led the airports in Strasbourg and Basel-Mulhouse on France's border with Germany and Switzerland to close after gusts of more than 110 kilometres per hour were recorded, France's civil aviation authority said, before they were reopened shortly after midday.

One person was also injured in the Netherlands after a tree fell on them in the southern village of Heesch.

Yesterday, the Thames Barrier, one of the largest movable flood barriers in the world, closed as a precautionary measure to protect London from swelling tides.

"We have seen some heavy showers push through across the south of the UK along with hail, loud thunder and lightning, which has woken people up," said meteorologist Becky Mitchell.

Gusts of 160kph were recorded at Great Dun Fell in Westmorland, north-west England, while overturned vehicles and trees caused closures of major motorways.

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