Waves crash against a sailboat in Elsinore, Denmark, Sunday Jan. 30, 2022, after a large winter storm caused havoc in Scandinavia with tens of thousands of people without electricity, trees uprooted and bridges closed. (Keld Navntoft/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
The Associated Press
HELSINKI (AP) - A powerful winter storm swept through northern Europe over the weekend, killing at least four people, destroying houses and cars, closing bridges and causing flooding and halting transport while leaving thousands of households without electricity.
Storm Malik was advancing in the Nordic region on Sunday, bringing strong gusts of wind, and extensive rain and snowfall in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.
Malik reached the Nordic region and northern Germany late Saturday after moving in from Britain where it caused havoc with material damage and transport chaos, hitting Scotland particularly bad.
In Scotland, a boy and a 60-year-old woman were killed Saturday by falling trees as strong winds battered northern parts of Britain.
Wind gusts of more than 100 mph (160 kph) have been reported in parts of Scotland, causing widespread disruption to transport and power cuts to tens of thousands of homes.
Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon warned that another storm due to hit the region on Sunday may be 'œmore severe for parts of Scotland'ť than anticipated.
In Denmark, excessively strong winds with heavy rain caused the temporary closure of several bridges on Saturday including the key Oeresund road and rail bridge connecting Copenhagen and the Swedish city of Malmo.
Danish media reported that a 78-year-old woman died from severe injuries after falling in strong winds. In neighboring Germany, local media reported that a man was killed on Saturday after being hit by a billboard that was loosened by the storm.
Flooding in many parts of Denmark caused substantial material damage. Several traffic crashes caused by falling trees and flying debris were reported to police.
Southern parts of Sweden were badly hit, too, and thousands of households were without electricity by Sunday afternoon. Ferries to the Baltic Sea island of Gotland were canceled because of strong winds.
Severe damage to houses, cars and boats, among other things, were reported in Norway while heavy snowfall throughout Finland caused road crashes and disrupted bus and train traffic in parts of the country.
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Sylvia Hui contributed to this report from London.
A house damaged by a fallen tree in Charlottenlund, north of Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday Jan. 30, 2022, after a large winter storm caused havoc in Scandinavia with tens of thousands of people without electricity, trees uprooted and bridges closed. (Keld Navntoft/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
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A house damaged by a fallen tree in Charlottenlund, north of Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday Jan. 30, 2022, after a large winter storm caused havoc in Scandinavia with tens of thousands of people without electricity, trees uprooted and bridges closed. (Keld Navntoft/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
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A snow plough works to remove snow at the Senate Square near the Helsinki Cathedral, in Helsinki, Sunday Jan. 30, 2022. A winter storm brought heavy winds and snow on Saturday and Sunday to Finland. (Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva via AP)
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A house in Gateshead, north east England, Sunday Jan. 30, 2022, which lost its roof after strong winds from Storm Malik battered northern parts of the UK PA Photo. The Met Office have said that another blast of severe strong winds is set to hit parts of the UK. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)
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A house in Gateshead, north east England, Sunday Jan. 30, 2022, which lost its roof after strong winds from Storm Malik battered northern parts of the UK PA Photo. The Met Office have said that another blast of severe strong winds is set to hit parts of the UK. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)
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People stand near the lighthouse on the pier of Warnemunde in stormy weather in Rostock, Germany on Sunday Jan. 30, 2022. (Jens Buttner/dpa via AP)
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The North Sea crashes into the Dagebull ferry terminal, in Dagebull, Germany, Sunday Jan. 30, 2022, during stormy weather. (Bodo Marks/dpa via AP)
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The North Sea crashes into the Dagebull ferry terminal, in Dagebull, Germany, Sunday Jan. 30, 2022, during stormy weather. (Bodo Marks/dpa via AP)
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The North Sea crashes into the Dagebull ferry terminal, in Dagebull, Germany, Sunday Jan. 30, 2022, during stormy weather. (Bodo Marks/dpa via AP)
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High water levels and waves hit the road in Malmo harbour, Sweden, Sunday Jan. 30, 2022, after a powerful winter storm swept through northern Europe over the weekend. Storm Malik was advancing in the Nordic region on Sunday, bringing strong gusts of wind, and extensive rain and snowfall in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. (Johan Nilsson/TT via AP)
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High water levels at the Oresund coast, Malmo, Sweden, Sunday Jan. 30, 2022, after a powerful winter storm swept through northern Europe over the weekend. Storm Malik was advancing in the Nordic region on Sunday, bringing strong gusts of wind, and extensive rain and snowfall in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. (Johan Nilsson/TT via AP)
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High water in the harbor in Lomma, Malmo, Sweden, Sunday Jan. 30, 2022, after a powerful winter storm swept through northern Europe over the weekend. Storm Malik was advancing in the Nordic region on Sunday, bringing strong gusts of wind, and extensive rain and snowfall in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. (Johan Nilsson/TT via AP)
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Several trees fallen on top of prked cars in central Malmo, Sweden, Saturday Jan. 29, 2022, after a powerful winter storm swept through northern Europe over the weekend. Storm Malik was advancing in the Nordic region on Sunday, bringing strong gusts of wind, and extensive rain and snowfall in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. (Johan Nilsson/TT via AP)
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A cable portal with power lines to a construction site after collapsing in central Malmo, Sweden, Saturday Jan. 29, 2022, after a powerful winter storm swept through northern Europe over the weekend. Storm Malik was advancing in the Nordic region on Sunday, bringing strong gusts of wind, and extensive rain and snowfall in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. (Johan Nilsson/TT via AP)
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A construction crane lay after crashing in central Malmo, Sweden, Sunday Jan. 30, 2022, after a powerful winter storm swept through northern Europe over the weekend. Storm Malik was advancing in the Nordic region on Sunday, bringing strong gusts of wind, and extensive rain and snowfall in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. (Johan Nilsson/TT via AP)
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