Rare Dutch summer storm hits air, train traffic

People across much of the Netherlands were told to stay indoors as a rare summer storm hit the Dutch coastearly on Wednesday, packing winds of up to 145 kilometres (90 miles) per hour and severely disrupting air and rail traffic.

The national meteorology institute’s sent its highest code red storm warning to residents of the Noord-Holland province, which includes Amsterdam, urging them not to leave their homes and to reserve emergency service numbers for life-threatening situations.

The storm, named Poly, is the Netherlands’ worst ever during the summer months and its strongest overall since January 2018, weather agency Weeronline said.

Heavy storms in the Netherlands usually occur between October and April. The last heavy summer storm there was in 2015 and was the first in over a century.

Local broadcaster AT5 said two people were injured in Amsterdam as trees fell on their cars.

The city’s Schiphol airport, one of Europe’s busiest hubs, cancelled more than 300 flights, a spokesperson said, with traffic expected to be limited until at least 3 pm local time (1300 GMT).

Train operators NS and Arriva halted all services in the country’s north, and a highway north of Amsterdam was closed due to falling trees.

The storm will move east over the north of the country during the morning, and is expected to become less intense during the afternoon.