France: Severe snowfall from Storm Caetano has led to power outages affecting around 170,000 homes in France, as reported by Minister of Energy Transition Agnes Pannier-Runacher. At a press conference, she indicated that over 1,400 personnel are working to repair the damaged power infrastructure, but the number of impacted households is likely to rise as the storm continues.
She cautioned that snowfall is expected to persist through Thursday night, with freezing temperatures anticipated, urging residents to be careful of black ice.
The storm has also caused major disruptions in travel. The French Civil Aviation Authority announced significant delays at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, advising airlines to cancel 10 percent of their flights due to the weather conditions. Additionally, the national railway company SNCF reported that high-speed train services are either suspended or limited for safety reasons.
Meteo-France, the national weather agency, has issued an Orange alert—the second-highest warning—for 56 out of 96 departments in metropolitan France due to strong winds and heavy snow.