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A Weather Event & its impact on people & the environment
The 1999 storms in France and Europe
Background
On the 27th of December 1999, France experienced a severe weather event caused by a depression crossing northern France and mainland Europe. The depression brought a period of heavy rain together with winds which reached 110 mph. The winds were the strongest in this region since records began. The depression moved across Europe from west to east. As the warm and cold fronts passed over France, Frontal rainfall and strong winds caused damage and disruption to people, services and the environment.
Impacts on people, services and the environment in France
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People
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Services
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Environment
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The storms killed 33 people
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Emergency repairs to the electricity system cost £500 million
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Around 270 million trees were destroyed in France (3% of it's total).
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1.5 million people left without electricity
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Long term restructuring of the electricity system cost £1.2 billion.
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Oil washed ashore on the west coast of France from the wreck of the Erika
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Roofs blown off buildings and damaged caused to homes
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Repairs to telephone systems cost £100 million
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Shortage of fuel in petrol stations as garages impose rationing
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Repairs to schools damaged in the storms cost £100 million.
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People found it hard to get around as roads were blocked by debris and fallen trees
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Road and bridge repairs cost £165 million
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Food shortages as people stocked up and shops were unable to get new deliveries in
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Repairs to historic monuments cost £80 million
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At Euro Disney in Paris, the theme park was shut and hotels were evacuated
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Impacts on other parts of Europe
•· 90 people killed across Europe
•· 8 million people left without electricity across Europe
•· In Britain, 5 people were killed
•· In Belgium, flood alerts issued as rivers overflowed
•· In Germany, 17 people killed in worst storms ever
•· In Switzerland, 11 people were killed, 2 in a ski gondola accident
•· In the Italian Alps, 4 people were killed in an avalanche
D.Drake 2008
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