Over 100,000 households without power in France due to Storm Benjamin

Over 100,000 homes have been left without power after Storm Benjamin hit France on Thursday, said the country's public energy supplier.

Enedis said in a statement seen by broadcaster BFM TV that more than 100,000 households were left without electricity due to "trees or branches falling on power lines," as strong winds have been sweeping across France since late Wednesday.

Southwestern Nouvelle-Aquitaine, with 45,000 households, and eastern Bourgogne-Franche-Comte and southeastern Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, each with 15,000 households, are among the regions particularly affected.

The Charente-Maritime department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine also has 12,000 households without power with all trains suspended and three minor injuries reported.

Trees have fallen in several regions of France due to violent gusts of wind sweeping along the Atlantic coast and beyond.

Meteo-France has placed 19 departments on orange alert for Thursday as strong gusts and high waves are expected along the Atlantic and English Channel coasts.

More than 2,000 homes were also been left without power after the storm hit the East of England, according to the BBC.

The Met Office weather service said Storm Benjamin had started to pull away from the UK with its impact gradually diminishing.

Dutch broadcaster NOS also reported that dozens of flights are being canceled at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam with further expected delays.

A code orange alert is in effect for the western coastal provinces, while the rest of the Netherlands is under code yellow, with fewer trains running as a precautionary measure.