Storm Amy Leaves Two Dead, Widespread Disruption Across Northern France

Deadly Impact and High Winds

Storm Amy, the first major autumn storm of the year, struck northern France on Saturday, October 4, 2025, resulting in two fatalities and significant damage across the region. The storm, which had previously caused a death in Ireland, brought violent winds and heavy seas to French coastal areas and inland departments.

The strongest gales were recorded at Cap de la Hève, near Le Havre, reaching speeds of 131 km/h. Dieppe experienced winds of 122 km/h, while Cap Gris-Nez and Boulogne-sur-Mer on the northern coast recorded gales of 112 km/h and 102 km/h respectively. Inland areas saw gusts up to 110 km/h.

Casualties and Emergency Response

The storm's first French victim was an 18-year-old man who drowned after going swimming at Etretat, near Le Havre, despite hazardous sea conditions. His 48-year-old companion managed to return to shore, but rescue efforts for the younger man were hampered by the severe weather, with his body recovered at low tide.

Hours later, a 25-year-old man was killed in Aisne, within the Hauts-de-France region, when a large tree branch fell onto his vehicle near Gouy. A 22-year-old passenger in the car sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized in Amiens.

Widespread Power Outages and Travel Chaos

Storm Amy led to extensive power outages, initially affecting up to 5,000 households in Normandy on Saturday morning. The number of affected customers in the wider region peaked at 13,000 by 18:00. Additionally, approximately 4,100 homes in Yonne (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté) also experienced power loss. Energy provider Enedis worked to restore services, with most properties regaining electricity overnight.

Travel across northern France was severely disrupted:

• Rail services in Hauts-de-France were interrupted, leading to the suspension of six TER lines for the day.
• Road traffic faced significant challenges, including an incident near Dieppe (Seine-Maritime) where a car was crushed by three falling trees at Saint-Germain-d'Étables, though the driver escaped unharmed.
• Regional authorities in Hauts-de-France imposed speed restrictions on highways and national roads until 8:00 p.m. on Saturday as a safety measure.

Weather Alerts and Recovery

Météo-France had placed six northern departments under a high (orange) alert for strong winds between midday and 19:00 on Saturday. These departments included Seine-Maritime, Nord, Pas-de-Calais, Somme, Aisne, and Oise. The orange alert was lifted by Saturday evening, although a yellow warning remained in place overnight. By Sunday morning, October 5, 2025, all weather alerts for northern France had been rescinded as winds began to ease.

Beyond the casualties and disruptions, the storm also caused structural damage, including a house in Hervilly-Montigny (Somme) that had its roof torn off by the violent winds.