Storm Austen triggers orange alerts across 23 French departments and widespread power outages

During the night, Storm Austen generated gusts between 120 and 140 km/h across Brittany and the western part of the Manche, causing electricity outages for 128,000 homes in Brittany, 19,000 in Pays de la Loire and 14,000 in Normandy. Météo-France issued orange wind warnings for 23 departments in the north and west, and announced that Île-de-France, Oise and Aisne would be added to the alert zone by midday. The Manche department faces the strongest winds, with coastal gusts potentially reaching 130-140 km/h. The storm is expected to weaken only by late afternoon, prompting the prefecture to restrict access to coastal areas and beaches.

Rail traffic has been halted on all Normandy lines and parts of Brittany and Hauts-de-France, with further disruptions anticipated on Saturday. The Route du Rhum village in Saint-Malo was closed on Friday morning as preparations continue for the solo transatlantic race starting 1 November.