Waves hit a jetty in Plobannalec-Lesconil, western Franceon Feb 9, 2020 as Storm Ciara sweeps across western Europe. Britain and Ireland hunkered down for a powerful storm expected to disrupt air, rail and sea links, cancel sports events, cut electrical power and damage property. With howling winds and driving rain, forecasters said Ciara would also hit France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany. (FRED TANNEAU / AFP)

LONDON — Storm Ciara lashed Britain and northern continental Europe with heavy rain and wind speeds that reached more than 145 kilometers an hour in places on Sunday, forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights, train services and sports matches.

More than 200 flood warnings were issued across Britain, which recorded a maximum wind speed of 93 miles an hour at Aberdaron in Wales

More than 200 flood warnings were issued across Britain, which recorded a maximum wind speed of 93 miles an hour at Aberdaron in Wales. One severe flood warning was put in place in Yorkshire, northern England, where water was predicted to overflow flood defenses and potentially threaten lives.

The storm caused major disruption to transport across the region; in the Netherlands, around 240 flights to and from Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, one of Europe’s busiest, were canceled as Ciara roared in off the Atlantic with gusts of up to 120 kph.

A car is seen submerged as flood water covers the roads and car parks in Mytholmroyd, northern England, on Feb 9, 2020, after the River Calder burst its banks as Storm Ciara swept over the country. Britain and Ireland hunkered down Sunday for a powerful storm expected to disrupt air, rail and sea links, cancel sports events, cut electrical power and damage property. With howling winds and driving rain, forecasters said Ciara would also hit France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany. (OLI SCARFF / AFP)

In Germany, where Ciara was named Sabine, about 180 flights to and from Frankfurt airport - about 15% of all planned flights - were axed. Lufthansa (LHAG.DE), Germany’s largest carrier, said it would cancel short and long-haul flights from Munich airport on Monday until 1200 GMT and 1300 GMT, respectively.

Lufthansa’s budget unit Eurowings said it had suspended flight operations at Hamburg, Berlin, Hanover, Dortmund, Duesseldorf, Cologne and Stuttgart. Meanwhile, some British domestic and international flights were also canceled, from airports including Heathrow and Gatwick.

Train services also fell victim to Ciara’s wrath.

Pedestrians look on as waves crash over the coastline at Wimeureux, Pas-de-Calais, in northern France on Feb 9, 2020, as Storm Ciara sweeps across western Europe. Britain and Ireland hunkered down for a powerful storm expected to disrupt air, rail and sea links, cancel sports events, cut electrical power and damage property. With howling winds and driving rain, forecasters said Ciara would also hit France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany. (DENIS CHARLET / AFP)

ALSO READ: Winter storm blasts Europe; 13 dead amid heavy snow, gusts

German railway operator Deutsche Bahn warned of severe disruptions and said it would stop long-distance train travel across Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, in the evening.

Britain’s Network Rail said the weather had caused problems across its network, with fallen power lines, trees and even trampolines blocking tracks, and warned people not to travel unless they had to.

SPORT DISRUPTED

All shipping movements in and out of Britain’s Port of Dover on the south coast were suspended and the Humber Bridge in northern England was closed to all traffic for only the second time since it opened in 1981.

A picture taken on Feb 9, 2020 in Brussels shows rubbles on the ground near a partially collapsed building during the Storm Ciara swept. Britain and Ireland were lashed by howling winds and inundated with driving rain on February 9 as Storm Ciara left homes without power, wiped out sports events and disrupted travel around northwestern Europe. The bad weather also hit France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany, causing scores of flights to be cancelled. (KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP)

London’s eight royal parks, home to more than 170,000 trees, were closed and even the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, a tourist draw, was also canceled.

Sporting events were also hit; Manchester City said its English Premier League soccer match against West Ham was postponed due to “extreme and escalating weather conditions”, while Scotland’s Women’s Six Nations rugby match against England was among the other matches canceled.

READ MORE: Tens of thousands flee, flights axed in Philippines as storm nears

All professional Dutch soccer matches were canceled, along with most outdoor sporting events.