Code red storm hits Netherlands

Dutch authorities have suspended all flights to and from Amsterdam Schiphol airport because of a severe storm.

Most rail traffic has also stopped as winds gust at up to 140km/h (90mph) across the Netherlands.

Schiphol, one of Europe’s busiest airports, gave no estimated time for flights to resume.

Dutch Twitter users have posted photos of trucks and trees blown over by the gales. Many trees have come down on railway lines.

Police have closed the centre of Almere, a city with about 200,000 residents lying just east of Amsterdam.

They tweeted an alert warning people to stay at home because of risk from the storm.

Het centrum #Almere wordt ivm #storm afgesloten. Ga er niet heen en blijf thuis! #CodeRood PLS RT

— Politie Flevoland (@PolitieFlevo) January 18, 2018

Dutch people in the path of the storm are using the hashtag #coderood to tweet photos of the storm damage.

The roof just blew of @UvA_Amsterdam Science Park!!!! #coderood pic.twitter.com/l5Sfgwv1wq

— Samayra Straal (@SStraal) January 18, 2018

A transport website, VID, reported 17 trucks blown over by the strong winds.

We telden 17 geklantelde vrachtwagen tot dusver, waaronder op de A2, A5, A13, A16, A20 en de A27. Hier zie je de A5 bij Schiphol. pic.twitter.com/ZEd9GS65Gt

— VID (@vid) January 18, 2018