Paris:Storm Austen has left 161,000 households without electricity as it approaches France, the electricity network operator Enedis announced on Friday.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, Enedis reported that 128,000 households in Brittany, 19,000 in Pays de la Loire, and 14,000 in Normandy have been affected. The operator stated that more than 2,000 employees are prepared to respond as soon as conditions permit.

In anticipation of Storm Austen's impact, 23 departments in northwestern France are under an orange alert due to strong winds. Meanwhile, ferries connecting France and England have remained docked, and train services in the storm-affected regions are severely disrupted at least until midday.

In Finistere, a crisis response center has been activated at the prefecture due to strong winds. As of midnight, local services had conducted 105 operations, primarily to clear roads, while firefighters were engaged in 45 interventions.