France Deploys Troops, Works to Restore Power After Storms
Six thousand troops were deployed in France on Wednesday and the national electricity company brought workers out of retirement as the country tapped all its resources to clean up and to restore power to millions of homes after this week’s deadly storms.
The government set aside $22 million in aid for the ravaged areas to help clear debris and repair damage. More aid will go toward cleaning up an oil slick polluting France’s Atlantic coast.
At least 2 million homes remained without electricity Wednesday. The national power company, EDF, has said it cannot cope and has appealed for aid from Britain, Italy, Germany, Belgium and Spain.
Trains between Paris and the southwest remained practically paralyzed. But all airports were reported open, and the meteorological office said wind and rain were abating.
In Austria, a helicopter landed 6,600 feet up in the Austrian Alps and evacuated about 40 people stranded by an avalanche that killed nine German tourists Tuesday.
At least 70 people were killed in France by two fierce storms Sunday and Tuesday. The storms claimed 122 lives in Western Europe.
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