THE HAGUE: A powerful summer storm, named Storm Poly, wreaked havoc in the Netherlands and Germany on Wednesday, resulting in two fatalities and causing widespread disruption to international air and rail travel.
With winds reaching a record-breaking speed of up to 146 km/h (90 mph), Storm Poly uprooted trees and forced the cancellation of 400 flights at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, one of Europe’s busiest transportation hubs.
Meteorologists described the storm as the strongest ever recorded in the Netherlands during the summer months and issued a rare “code red” warning, urging millions of people in the low-lying country to remain indoors for their safety.
Tragedy struck when a 51-year-old woman was killed in the Dutch city of Haarlem after a tree fell on her car. In the German town of Rhede, near the Dutch border, a 64-year-old woman lost her life after being struck by a falling tree, according to local police. Additionally, two men in Amsterdam sustained serious injuries—one from a tree falling on his car, and another potentially hit by falling power lines, as reported by local media.
Strong Summer Causes Huge Destruction
The storm’s impact extended beyond personal injuries, as a tree collapsed onto a houseboat in one of Amsterdam’s historic canals, while another toppled onto a tram in The Hague. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in these incidents.
Schiphol Airport anticipated a gradual improvement in flight operations as the wind subsided, but disruptions were expected to persist throughout the day. The airport’s spokesperson confirmed the cancellation of 400 flights, causing significant disruption to connecting flights from Asia, the Middle East, and the United States to other parts of Europe.
Eurostar train services between Amsterdam and London, as well as high-speed rail services to German cities Cologne and Hamburg, were also canceled. Dutch train operator NS announced the cancellation of numerous domestic trains, compounding the travel woes of passengers.
Stranded travelers, including students on their summer holidays, were left waiting at Amsterdam’s central station. The situation led to alternative plans, with one British student opting for a bus journey to Brussels, scheduled to arrive at 2 am. Another passenger, a 64-year-old school teacher, jokingly contemplated walking to The Hague due to the disrupted train services.
The storm left a trail of destruction throughout the country. In Haarlem, an entire row of trees fell on houses, while beach houses and even a school sustained damage in the northern provinces.
To ensure public safety, the government issued a mobile phone alert advising residents in North Holland province, which includes Amsterdam, to stay indoors and contact emergency services only in life-threatening situations.
The Dutch meteorological service KNMI reported winds reaching force 11, the second-highest level on the scale, with a gust of 146 km/h recorded in the northern port of IJmuiden. Weerplaza, the Dutch weather service, stated that this was the first-ever very severe summer storm recorded in the country, with the gusts also setting a new summer record. The last storm of comparable strength occurred in January 2018.
Storm Poly followed a small tornado that struck the central city of Apeldoorn the day before, resulting in damage but no reported injuries, according to local media.
Given its low-lying geography and vulnerability to extreme weather and climate change, the Netherlands maintains an extensive system of water defenses. The country’s tragic history includes the violent North Sea storm on the night of January 31 to February 1, 1953, which claimed the lives of more than 1,836 people.
