BEIJING, Oct. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- A major storm with hurricane-force gusts has lashed western Europe. Four people have died in Britain, two in Germany and one in the Netherlands.

UK weather forecasters are calling it one of the worst storms to hit Britain in years. 270-thousand homes are without power. Flood alerts have been issued. The storm has knocked down hundreds of trees, as well as a huge building crane near the prime minister’s office. London’s Heathrow Airport, Europe’s busiest, has cancelled at least 130 flights.

Thousands of homes in northwestern France also lost electricity. In the Netherlands, several rail lines shut down and airport delays were reported. The storm in Britain had passed by late Monday morning, despite strong winds still battering its eastern coast.

(Source: CNTV.cn)