Human consequences
92 deaths and about 2,000 injured in France; millions of households without power, sometimes for several weeks.
Home › All disasters › Storms Lothar and Martin
Hurricane & cycloneStorms Lothar and Martin
140Deaths
Not quantifiedDisplaced / homeless
$19bnEstimated cost
- 140 deaths in Europe, including 92 in France.
- About 19.2 billion dollars (2006 value) of damage in Europe.
Two extratropical storms of exceptional violence cross France a day apart: Lothar sweeps the north on 26 December, Martin the south on the night of 27 to 28 December. Gusts exceed 150 km/h far inland.
Consequences
Environmental consequences
Entire forests are flattened in France, Switzerland and Germany; the park of the Palace of Versailles loses thousands of trees.
Economic consequences
The power grid is devastated: 1,500 technicians from some twenty countries come to help EDF. The damage far exceeds that of any previous storm.
Political consequences
The storms revive the burying of power lines and lead Météo-France to create its weather warning map in 2001.
Further reading
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In the rankings : The worst disasters in France No. 7The deadliest hurricanes and cyclones No. 10
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