Storm Ciarán whips Western Europe, blowing record winds in France and leaving millions without power

Recording-breaking winds in France and across much of western Europe left at least five people dead and injured several others. Storm Ciarán charged through the continent overnight and into Thursday. Vast numbers of people were plunged into darkness, homes were devastated and travel was disrupted in several countries. Roofs were torn from homes on the Channel Islands where gusts of more than 160 kph (100 mph) were reported amid severe travel disruption in several countries. The storm blew out windows and left 1.2 million French households without electricity on Thursday. A truck driver was killed when a tree hit his vehicle in northern France and emergency workers hurt. Hundreds of schools stayed closed in the English coastal communities of Cornwall and Devon.