France hit by Storm Goretti as it sweeps northern Europe

Storm Goretti left about 380,000 households in France without electricity and brought extraordinary wind gusts in Manche; schools in northern regions were closed and authorities issued safety warnings.

Storm Goretti swept across northern France and parts of northern Europe on Friday. Grid operator Enedis reported about 380,000 households without electricity in France, with the majority of outages concentrated in northern Normandy. Local authorities in the Manche department recorded extraordinary wind gusts and reported trees and debris affecting buildings, with no injuries reported so far. Schools were closed across northern regions and some local officials issued safety warnings. Key facts: - Enedis reported about 380,000 households without power in France, mostly in northern Normandy. - Authorities in Manche recorded extraordinary wind gusts and reported trees falling onto buildings; no injuries have been reported to date. - Schools in northern France were closed and forecasters expected the storm to ease by Saturday, with snowfall tapering off by Monday in some areas. Summary: Storm Goretti caused widespread power outages and strong winds that disrupted schools and local services in northern France. Forecasters indicated the system should begin easing by Saturday, with conditions moderating into early next week.