Storm Ingrid Hits Brittany's Finistère with Heavy Winds, Injuries, and Infrastructure Disruptions

On January 23-24, 2026, Storm Ingrid severely impacted Brittany's Finistère department, prompting an orange vigilance alert due to powerful winds and flooding risks. The storm brought gusts exceeding 110 km/h inland and up to 140 km/h along the coast, leading to widespread disruption and emergency responses.

The Service Departmental d'Incendie et de Secours (SDIS 29) managed approximately 150 interventions, predominantly related to fallen trees, electrical line damage, and flooding. At the storm's peak, around 150 firefighters were mobilized. Two people sustained injuries from falling trees: one in a car and another on a train. Electricity supply was affected but largely restored by the end of January 23, with isolated outages primarily in southern Finistère.

A significant incident occurred when a BreizhGo TER train carrying 200 passengers collided with a large tree that had fallen on the tracks near Quimper. The collision injured at least five passengers; one woman suffered serious facial and eye wounds from shattered glass. Passengers described the event as intense and compared it to a derailment. Emergency services, including 60 firefighters, responded promptly. The train resumed travel after a four-hour delay at reduced speed, impacting services on the Quimper - Landerneau line with further delays and cancellations.

Road closures persist across the region, and authorities continue urging motorists to exercise caution. The prefect of Finistère, Louis Le Franc, praised emergency services and local authorities for their swift response and maintained a call for public vigilance as heavy rains and flood risks remain high. Saturated soils and overflowing waterways in Finistère and neighboring departments Morbihan and Ille-et-Vilaine heighten the flood threat, with a slow water level decrease expected.

The storm's aftermath underscores the ongoing challenges facing Brittany, with emergency teams remaining active to mitigate risks and assist affected residents.