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One person was killed as the most severe July storm ever recorded in the Netherlands swept across the country on Saturday, delaying flights and disrupting road and rail traffic.

Dozens of flights were delayed at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport and authorities warned travellers not to take to the road as gale-force winds and rain lashed the country, prompting the meteorological service to issue a "Code Red" warning.

No trains were running at Amsterdam Central Station, and trams were halted across the city. Roads were blocked by fallen trees in many places around the low-lying country.

A motorist was killed in the eastern province of Gelderland when a tree fell on his car, and there were reports of people being injured in several cities.

With gusts of up to 121 kmh in coastal regions, it was the most violent July storm in the Netherlands since records began in 1901.


In The Hague, seat of the country's government, emergency services warned that response times could be slowed because of the flood of storm-related calls.

Winds were observed to be slowing in Amsterdam by 1600 GMT, though the severe weather warning remained in effect.