At least 14 people were killed today as strong winds lashed northern Europe, bringing down trees, causing travel chaos and forcing helicopters to pluck stranded sailors from the English Channel.
Britain was the worst hit with seven people killed as winds gusted up to 159 kph (99 mph).
Five motorists died as gales battered the country, two people were killed in the northern town of Manchester and a boy died after a wall collapsed on him in London.
Rescue services winched 26 sailors to safety after they were forced to abandon their container ship when it began sinking in stormy seas in the Channel.
Elsewhere flights were disrupted and Dutch and German railways suspended most services as rare hurricane-force winds lashed the networks.
"Things have ground to a halt - this is unprecedented," Deutsche Bahn boss Hartmut Mehdorn said.
Eurostar international trains between France, Britain and Belgium were also halted, the company said.
Germans and Dutch where told to stay indoors and many schools closed early. Two people died in the Netherlands when an uprooted tree crushed their car and a motorcyclist was killed when he was hit by a tree, local media said.
Winds gusting over 100 kph and heavy rains forced Dutch flight and rail cancellations and caused injuries in the worst storm in years.
Strong winds damaged the arched roof of Amsterdam's Central Station, with falling glass prompting authorities to ban passengers from platforms and stop trains.
The weather also disrupted shipping at Rotterdam's port, Europe's busiest, and caused an oil spill at one of its terminals when a drifting container ship bumped into an oil jetty.
After leaving a trail of damage in Britain, the Netherlands and the English Channel, the storm hit Germany, uprooting trees, damaging buildings, causing widespread flooding and major road and rail delays.
Rescue services mobilised staff to prepare for potential flooding and destructive winds after at least three people died.
A motorist crashed into another vehicle after swerving to avoid a fallen tree, a 73-year-old man was killed when he was struck by a barn door ripped off by the wind, while in Munich, an 18-month-old was crushed by a door that flew off its hinges.
"What's unusual about this storm is that it will affect the whole country and not just certain zones," said Christoph Hartmann, a spokesman for Germany's DWD meteorological service.
German airline Deutsche Lufthansa said it expected numerous flight cancellations and delays for the rest of Thursday, while Frankfurt airport said takeoffs and landings were cut by half.
After hitting the north and west of Germany the storm will sweep eastwards into Poland, the Czech Republic and northern Austria, DWD said.
Hungary was on alert for winds of up to 130 kph due early tomorrow.