The national meteorological institute declared a red alert for three provinces as the Poly storm rocked the nation with heavy downpours and strong winds. On the west coast of Amsterdam, a gust of 145 kilometers per hour (90 mph) was recorded, the agency said. The alert level was lowered as the storm moved northeast and lost strength.
Dutch media showed images of uprooted trees and at least one overturned truck in Amsterdam, The Hague and the city of Haarlem as the meteor swept through the area during morning rush hour.
A woman died in Haarlem when a tree fell on a car, police spokeswoman Nina Moers said. In Amsterdam, a tree fell on a houseboat docked in one of the historic canals.
Strong gusts of wind shook northwestern Germany. A pedestrian was killed in Rhede, near the Dutch border, when a tree fell on him.
Videos showed trees fallen on highways, on a row of houses in Haarlem and on a tram in The Hague. The Amsterdam municipality closed the city parks.
The emergency services of the province of North Holland, where the capital, Amsterdam, is located, sent alerts to cell phones asking the population to stay home until the storm passed. The traffic authorities recommended that, as far as possible, driving be avoided.
Schiphol airport, located in Amsterdam and which is one of the busiest in Europe, said on its website that it expected “very limited air traffic” in the afternoon, which led to cancellations and delays in departures and arrivals.
FUENTE: Associated Press
