Paris  - A powerful storm packing winds of over 140 kilometres per hour cut power to some 600,000 households in western and northern France and shut the two main airports serving the city of Paris, French media reported Tuesday.

A spokesman for the state-owned utility EDF said current was being gradually restored Tuesday in the west of the country, which bore the brunt of the storm.

The French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) had banned take-offs and landings at Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports beginning at 1900 GMT on Monday.

As a result, the carrier Air France cancelled more than 200 flights. Some 3,000 passengers spent the night in hotels waiting for the airports to reopen.

The storm was the second in two weeks to strike France. At the end of January, Hurricane Klaus devastated parts of southern France, killing 11 people and causing 1.4 billion euros (1.8 billion dollars) in damage. (dpa)