Hurricane-force winds lashed parts of northern Europe yesterday, causing flights to be cancelled, snarling some roads and train services and hitting port traffic.

The Dutch meteorological office issued a code red warning for the low-lying country’s northern and coastal provinces, as gusts of up to 120 kilometres an hour battered the Netherlands, causing damage estimated at several million euros.

German weather service spokesman Peter Hartmann said winds could strengthen to 160 kilometres an hour on higher ground. “This could be one of the heaviest storms in recent years,” he warned.

A spokesman for Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, Europe’s fourth largest, said 80 flights had been cancelled because of the wind.

The airport warned that delays would mount as flight volumes rose later in the day.

At Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port, two container terminals were closed, with ships forced to queue out at sea. A spokesman said this was a routine precaution when winds rise above gale force seven. Bulk liquid terminals continued to operate.

Dutch Authorities warned lorry drivers not to travel with lightly loaded vehicles after a spate of overturned trucks blocked roads, while in the north some bridges had to be closed.

Near the port of Vlissingen on the Belgian border, authorities were able to refloat a 300-metre container ship that ran aground in the small hours.

About 40 flights were cancelled at Frankfurt airport with one runway shut, a spokesperson said.

German railway operator Deutsche Bahn said it had stopped train services in the central German state of North Rhine Westphalia.

In Britain, winds gusted up to 160 kph overnight, with a major bridge over the River Thames closed for several hours because of the bad weather, causing long traffic delays.

In Belgium, the wind uprooted trees, knocked over lamp posts and cut power lines to hundreds of homes.

In some places, cars and buildings were damaged by flying debris and some rail and road links were briefly obstructed.