The severe storm Xynthia has killed at least 45 people in Spain, Portugal and France. The victims either drowned or were killed by falling trees or flying debris.

So far, the worst hit areas have been the northern Spanish provinces on the Bay of Biscay. The Spanish government is urging people to stay indoors and not to venture outside unless absolutely necessary.

In France, hundreds of thousands of households currently have no electricity. In the western coastal region, winds speeds of up to 150 kilometres per hour and waves up to eight metres high have been recorded. In the coastal district of Vendée, the inhabitants of flooded villages were airlifted from the roofs of their homes by helicopters. Hundreds of thousands of French homes are left without power. As Xynthia moved north, fallen trees caused widespread disruption to traffic in Belgium and Luxembourg. In the south of the Netherlands trees were blown over and rooftiles sent flying.

In the United Kingdom, warnings of heavy rain and strong winds have been issued for Wales, parts of south-east England and the capital London. Local authorities have been asked to monitor the water levels in rivers and coastal areas closely in a bid to guard against flooding.