Tens of thousands of homes in the UK are without electricity after Storm Darragh swept through the west of the country.
The storm brought strong winds and heavy rain, causing major disruption in south Wales, western England, and Northern Ireland. Many train services and flights were cancelled as a result.
A Met Office red warning was issued for western and southern Wales, and the Bristol Channel coast from 03:00 to 11:00 GMT. Around three million people received a government emergency alert on Friday evening with safety advice.
The alert urged people to gather essential items, including torches, batteries, and phone chargers, in preparation for potential power cuts. The alert made a loud siren-like sound lasting for about 10 seconds.
Officials warned: “Being outside in high winds makes you vulnerable to injury. Stay indoors if you can.”
Damage and Disruption Across the UK
Wind gusts reached 93mph in Capel Curig, north Wales, and 92mph in Aberdaron on the Llyn Peninsula. The Irish Sea experienced gusts of 80-90mph since 03:00.
The UK has passed the peak wind speeds of 70-85mph, which will continue in the western parts of the country today.
The National Grid reported at least 48,000 homes in Wales without power. Northern Ireland Electricity Networks said 46,000 premises were similarly affected.
Bristol Airport warned passengers to expect disruption over the weekend. Cardiff Airport has suspended all flights during the red warning period.
All rail services in west Cardiff are also suspended due to multiple fallen trees on train lines.
Both the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge and M48 Severn Bridge linking England to south Wales are closed.
In Wales, all domestic football and rugby matches for Saturday have been cancelled. Cardiff City’s match against Watford was among them.
In Aberystwyth, Richard Griffiths of the Richmond Hotel said the town was in “complete darkness” after a power outage.
London’s Royal Parks, including the Winter Wonderland attraction in Hyde Park, will close on Saturday.
Horse races at Aintree in Merseyside and Chepstow in south Wales have been abandoned. Everton vs Liverpool’s Premier League match at Goodison Park has also been postponed, marking the first derby cancelled by a storm.
Northern Ireland has an amber warning in place until 21:00 GMT. Several Christmas events, including Belfast’s Christmas Market, have also been cancelled.
Flood alerts are in place across the UK. England has 120 flood warnings, while Wales has 55.
The ground remains saturated following the earlier Storm Bert, increasing the risk of further flooding.
Storm Darragh is the fourth named storm this season, following Bert and Conall, which caused severe flooding last month.
