NU Online News Service, March 1, 3:47 p.m. EST
Windstorm Xynthia swept across Western Europe over the weekend, causing damage that was widespread but less than the 1999 Storm Lothar catastrophe, according to Risk Management Solutions (RMS).
The modelling firm said Xynthia resulted in widespread power outages, damage and at least 50 fatalities. Wind damage has been reported across Portugal, Spain, France and Germany, with some storm surge damage observed in France, where at least 40 fatalities have been reported.
According to Global Reinsurance.com, Windstorm Xynthia is expected to be the second catastrophe of 2010 to exceed $1 billion, and some reports have suggested that the cost of Xynthia will far exceed EUR1 billion ($ 1.3 billion).
Neena Saith, senior catastrophe response manager at RMS, said, "Xynthia has wreaked chaos across swathes of Western Europe, but based on preliminary observations it is by no means as severe as Windstorm Lothar in 1999."
She added, "Around one million homes have lost power, which is about half of what we saw during Lothar, and there's already promising signs that power is being restored." Total insured losses from Lothar and Martin in France amounted to around EUR6.5 billion at the time.
The strong winds downed trees and caused roof-top damage across a wide swath of France, extending in a northeast trajectory from La Rochelle in the coast to Metz and the Strasbourg region and into Germany.
High winds overturned trees and widespread debris and disruption were reported from the Parisian suburbs and Brittany, with pockets of damage to high-elevation ski resorts which could force them to close for the rest of the season. In Paris there are no reports of major damage.
The main impacted areas in Germany are Rheinland-Pfalz, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hessen and Baden-W?rttemberg.
No major property damage was reported in Spain. In Portugal there were reports of downed trees which blocked roads and rail lines. In Madeira further rainfall was brought to the island which has already been subject to flash flooding and mudslides during the last week.
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