West Europe braces for new storm after Ciaran

ROME — Shortly after Storm Ciaran lashed Western Europe, the region now braces for yet another storm, Domingos.

Seven deaths had been registered by Saturday in Italy, where strong winds and record rains had battered the central Tuscany region in particular.

The Italian government on Friday declared a 12-month state of emergency for the region, which has registered the worst flooding so far, and allocated 5 million euros ($5.3 million) to rescue and relief activities.

The state of emergency included the provinces of Florence, Livorno, Pisa, Pistoia and Prato.

Video circulating on social media showed cars being washed away along flooded streets in several parts of Tuscany after the passage of Ciaran.

"As of today, some areas remain inaccessible except by amphibious means," regional governor Eugenio Giani told a news briefing after an emergency meeting with the Civil Protection authorities.

The governor said the storm affected 10,000 to 12,000 people, mostly in the areas of Campi Bisenzio and Seano.

"About 20,000 people are also still without electricity, from 40,000 yesterday," Giani added, explaining that some power stations were under water, which made it difficult to restore utility services.

He put the preliminary estimate of damages in the region at about 300 million euros ($322 million).

After a 69-year-old man was found dead near Campi Bisenzio in the morning, at least one person in Tuscany and one off-duty firefighter in the northern Veneto region were missing on Saturday, according to local authorities.

Earlier last week, Storm Ciaran caused at least seven deaths across France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain, and disrupted power and transport networks.

At least one person died in Albania on Friday, according to local reports citing police.

Videos circulating on social media showed flooded streets in the capital, Tirana, and Albanian emergency services warned heavy rains would continue through Saturday and Sunday.

Huge waves

Ciaran also brought about huge waves hitting the Adriatic coastal cities of other Balkan states and disrupted ferry lines connecting Croatian islands to the mainland.

In France, at least 260,000 households were reportedly out of electricity due to flooding and winds, especially in Normandy and Brittany, according to local media. Some railways and roads remained closed as the country waited for Domingos to arrive.

Meteorologists warned the new storm might bring strong rains and winds up to 130-140 kilometers an hour over the country between Saturday and Sunday, and hit especially the northwestern regions, some of which were put on orange alert (medium risk).

Two men died as heavy rains and high winds swept through Bulgaria on Saturday. Hundreds of firefighters, rescuers and police responded to calls over damage caused by the heavy rains and strong winds.

Xinhua - Agencies