Commuter chaos in northern Germany in aftermath of storm

BERLIN – Scores of train and subway lines in northern Germany are still out of service after high winds knocked trees and branches onto tracks.

Crews were working Friday to clear debris after overnight wind storm that killed at least seven people.

Berlin’s main zoo scrambled to get its animals into shelter as the storm approached, but wasn’t able to corral 80 flamingoes into their stalls in time. It said Friday that 18 of the birds were killed by falling branches.

In the capital, parts of the subway system were still shut down and many railway routes, like from Berlin to Hamburg, remained impassable.

In the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, some 35,000 people lost power overnight and by Friday morning some 10,000 people were still waiting for it to be restored.