Storm Ciara batters Britain, hitting flights, trains and soccer

Cars sit in floodwater in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, Britain February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Ed Sykes

Storm Ciara lashed Britain with heavy rain and winds of more than 90 miles an hour (145 km/hour) on Sunday, forcing the cancellations of flights, train services and sports matches.

More than 200 flood warnings were issued across the country by authorities, including one severe warning in Yorkshire, northern England, where water was predicted to overflow flood defenses and potentially threaten lives.

The national meteorological service said it had recorded a maximum wind speed of 93 miles an hour at Aberdaron in Wales, on a day of storm disruption that stretched into northern continental Europe.

The River Irwell is seen in Ramsbottom, Lancashire as hurricane-force winds and rain have affected the country's transport network leading to disruptions and prompting warnings of power cuts and a risk to life, in Britain February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Jon Super

The weather caused major disruption to transport across Britain, with some domestic and international flights from airports including Heathrow and Gatwick canceled.

Network Rail, which manages the country's railways, said there was disruption across its network, with fallen power lines, trees and even trampolines blocking tracks, and warned people not to travel unless they had to.

All shipping movements in and out of the 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.

Cars drive through floodwater as hurricane-force winds and rain affected the country's transport network leading to disruptions and prompting warnings of power cuts and a risk to life, in Manchester, Britain February 9, 2020. Storm Ciara has brought heavy rain and winds, caused widespread flooding and has led to the cancellation of sporting events. REUTERS/Jon Super

Sporting events were also hit in Britain.

Manchester City said its Premier League soccer match against West Ham had been 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.

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 major tourist draw, was also canceled due to the weather.

A man takes his dog for a walk as waves hit the sea wall in Saltcoats, Scotland, Britain February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

In the Netherlands the same storm, Ciara, led to around 120 flights to and from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, one of Europe's largest, to be axed or delayed as it blew in off the Atlantic. All professional Dutch soccer matches were canceled.

Storm Sabine, meanwhile, forced the cancellation of about 100 flights to and from Frankfurt airport.

A child takes shelter behind an adult as waves hit the sea wall in Saltcoats, Scotland, Britain February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Pravin Char)

A felled tree lies on Clapham Common in south London as Storm Ciara hits large parts of Britain February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

Cars drive through floodwater as hurricane-force winds and rain affected the country's transport network leading to disruptions and prompting warnings of power cuts and a risk to life, in Manchester, Britain February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Jon Super

People climb a railing, trying to avoid the floodwater, outside a restaurant in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, Britain February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Ed Sykes

A man avoids the floodwater outside a restaurant in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, Britain February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Ed Sykes

A man walks through the floodwater next to abandoned cars in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, Britain February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Ed Sykes

A man walks his dog trough a windswept Clapham Common in south London as Storm Ciara hits large parts of Britain February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

A flooded road is seen in Rawtenstall, Lancashire as hurricane-force winds and rain have affected Britain's transport network leading to disruptions and prompting warnings of power cuts and a risk to life, February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Jon Super

Cars drive through floodwater as hurricane-force winds and rain affected the country's transport network leading to disruptions and prompting warnings of power cuts and a risk to life, in Manchester, Britain February 9, 2020. Storm Ciara has brought heavy rain and winds, caused widespread flooding and has led to the cancellation of sporting events. REUTERS/Jon Super

A car drives through a flood water during Storm Ciara in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, Britain, Febraury 9, 2020 in this screengrab obtained from video. Alan Burton via REUTERS

Large waves and sea spray caused by Storm Ciara hit vehicles being driven along the seafront in Newhaven, Britain February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville

A lifeboat sails in high waves and strong winds caused by Storm Ciara, in the English Channel in Newhaven, Britain February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville

Large waves and sea spray caused by Storm Ciara hit vehicles being driven along the seafront in Newhaven, Britain February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville

A lifeboat sails in high waves and strong winds caused by Storm Ciara, in the English Channel in Newhaven, Britain February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville

A body boarder rides the stormy waves at Broad Haven, Pembrokeshire, Wales, Britain as Storm Ciara approaches the Welsh coastline, February 8, 2020. REUTERS/Rebecca Naden

A lifeboat sails in high waves and strong winds caused by Storm Ciara, in the English Channel in Newhaven, Britain February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville