Three million individuals informed to remain residence by emergency cell phone alert
The Cupboard Workplace issued an emergency alert at 6.45pm on Friday to three million individuals in areas lined by the Met Workplace’s uncommon purple warning for wind in elements of Wales and south-west England.
The emergency alert system despatched a message to each suitable cell phone within the affected areas, containing details about the purple warning and steerage on keep secure into Saturday.
This included a line that mentioned: “Robust winds could cause flying particles, falling bushes and huge waves round coastal areas, all of which might current a hazard to life. Keep indoors in the event you can. It isn’t secure to drive in these circumstances.”
It was the biggest use of the emergency alert system exterior a take a look at state of affairs – the final take a look at being in April 2023.
It’s understood residents in Devon, Bathtub and North East Somerset, town of Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Somerset, Isle of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend, Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff, Monmouthshire and Newport obtained the alert.
Cellphones made a loud siren-like sound even when they had been set on silent. The sound and vibration lasted for about 10 seconds.
The warning, which has led to the cancellation of occasions together with Christmas sights, is in place from 3am to 11am on Saturday.
The Met Workplace has warned of “damaging winds” with gusts of 90mph (145km/h) potential over the coasts and hills of West and South Wales. Forecasters say the strongest winds will start to ease from late morning.
Key occasions
The enterprise secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, has been chatting with Sky Information about Storm Darragh. Reynolds described the storm as a “difficult scenario”.
Based on the PA information company, Reynolds mentioned:
About three million houses could have had the emergency alert system to their cell phone. I might simply encourage anybody who has had that to observe the recommendation.”
Nationwide Grid is responding to the 20,000 houses with out energy, Reynolds mentioned, including workers “will probably be on standby for any additional challenges all through the remainder of the day”.
He mentioned:
The place you may, keep inside, don’t put your self in danger, and simply observe the recommendation always.”
Nationwide Highways suggested the QEII Bridge at Dartford Crossing in England’s south east had additionally been closed resulting from robust winds.
Within the West Midlands, the A5 was closed between the B5070 at Gledrid and A483 at Halton resulting from robust winds.
The Met Workplace confirmed to the PA information company wind gusts of as much as 92mph had been recorded in a single day in Capel Curig in north Wales and Aberdaron on the Llyn Peninsula.
Gusts of between 72-78mph had been recorded alongside the coasts of Wales and Northern Eire.
Nationwide Rail is warning individuals hoping to journey by prepare this weekend that Storm Darragh could disrupt companies all through Saturday and Sunday.
You possibly can see a full listing of affected companies on their web site.
Purple climate warnings defined
As we’ve been reporting, the Met Workplace has issued a purple climate warning for Storm Darragh. However what does that really imply?
What’s a climate warning?
A climate warning is issued by the Met Workplace by the Nationwide Extreme Climate Warning Service. The goal is to maintain individuals secure by warning what extreme climate is in retailer and what the impacts could also be.
The warnings are given a color – yellow, amber or purple – relying on the mixture of the impression the climate could have and the chance of these impacts occurring. Warnings may be supplied as much as per week forward for extreme climate together with rain, thunderstorms, wind, snow and ice.
What does a purple warning imply?
Purple is essentially the most severe climate warning the Met Workplace can difficulty. It means harmful climate is anticipated and persons are urged to take motion to maintain themselves and others secure. Met Workplace spokesman Grahame Madge mentioned purple warnings are given primarily based on “the impression, not the severity” of the climate.
How uncommon are purple warnings?
Purple warnings are issued “comparatively sometimes”, based on the Met Workplace. The final purple warning within the UK was issued in January for winds in north-east Scotland. Gusts of as much as 99mph from Storm Isha killed two individuals and left tens of hundreds of houses with out energy. For the reason that Met Workplace started issuing purple warnings in 2011, there have been 20, with sometimes one or two a 12 months.
In 2022, the UK had three purple climate warnings, with the primary ever alert for excessive warmth in July 2022.
You possibly can learn extra about purple climate warnings on the Met Workplace web site.
Jamie Grierson
Pure Assets Wales (NRW) has urged individuals to be vigilant and ready for potential important flooding in areas of south Wales on Saturday and into Sunday.
Whereas rainfall totals aren’t anticipated to be as excessive as these skilled throughout Storm Bert final month, additional heavy rain skilled in Wales this week means the bottom is saturated and rivers might rise shortly, NRW mentioned.
Some rivers may even include particles but to be eliminated following Storm Bert, which might heighten flood danger.
Rhondda Cynon Taf, the place between 200 and 300 properties had been flooded throughout Storm Bert, was forecast to be hit by heavy rain as soon as once more.
NRW issued greater than 30 flood alerts and warnings, whereas the Atmosphere Company in England put greater than 20 purple flood warnings in place, with residents and enterprise homeowners informed to “act now”.
The Met Workplace has supplied an inventory of ideas for staying secure amid robust winds – from driving safely to defending your house from harm.
You possibly can learn it right here.
In addition to robust winds, Darragh can also be anticipated to convey heavy rain over the weekend, with greater than 120 flood alerts in place this morning.
An amber warning for rain is in place in Wales from 3am to 6pm on Saturday with heavy rain prone to result in disruption to move and infrastructure.
Welsh FA postpones all Saturday matches
The Soccer Affiliation of Wales has mentioned all matches within the nation had been being postponed on Saturday resulting from Storm Darragh, following recommendation from the Met Workplace.
“It isn’t secure to drive in such climate, together with travelling to and from soccer matches,” the affiliation mentioned in a press release on its web site.
“Golf equipment have been suggested to verify for and safe any free gadgets round their grounds if it may be carried out safely. This contains bins, furnishings, goalposts, and fences and so forth.
It mentioned any postponements of Sunday fixtures will probably be thought-about on a “case-by-case foundation, in step with every particular person league’s coverage”.
Within the Championship, Cardiff Metropolis’s Saturday residence sport towards Watford was additionally postponed on Friday night “within the curiosity of supporter security”, the membership mentioned on its web site, with no new date but set for the fixture.
“All match tickets bought for this sport will stay legitimate for the rearranged date,” the membership mentioned.
Hundreds left with out energy
Hundreds of individuals throughout Northern Eire, England and Wales have been left with out energy as they brace for the impression of Storm Darragh.
As of 5am, Nationwide Grid reported greater than 12,600 premises had misplaced energy within the Midlands and south-west, and greater than 20,000 houses had been disconnected in Wales.
A word on the Northern Eire Electrical energy Community’s web site mentioned the authority was unable to offer estimated restoration instances.
“Because of the variety of faults we’re at present experiencing on the community, we’re unable to offer an estimated restoration time in your electrical energy provide at the moment,” it learn.
“We’re working to revive provides as shortly and safely as potential.”
Eire residents urged to take purple warnings ‘terribly significantly’
Seven counties within the Republic of Eire have put underneath purple wind warnings in a single day.
Airports have warned of potential disruption and a few ferries have been cancelled. A sequence of festive occasions have additionally been known as off throughout the weekend.
Met Eireann’s highest degree of alert cowl counties Mayo, Clare, Galway, Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo and Wicklow.
The taoiseach, Simon Harris, urged these dwelling in areas lined by purple warnings to take them “terribly significantly”.
“A purple climate warning does imply don’t journey throughout that time period, and despite the fact that it’s a Friday night time and coming as much as the Christmas season, I’d actually encourage individuals to heed that recommendation and certainly to observe carefully climate recommendation within the hours forward,” he mentioned.
“After all, there’s an orange climate warning for the remainder of the nation as properly. So, actually, individuals in that space ought to keep away from any pointless journey in any respect. It can be crucial individuals take these warnings very, very significantly when it comes to defending life within the hours forward.”
In Mayo, the warning got here into impact at 9pm on Friday and is place to 3am. For Clare and Galway, the alert is in place from 9pm to 2am. In Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo, the warning got here into impact at 10pm and is in place till 3am. The purple warning for Wicklow is in impact from 1am to 6am on Saturday.
ESB Networks mentioned the excessive winds are anticipated to trigger harm to electrical energy infrastructure, notably in counties topic to the purple warnings.
The remainder of the Republic of Eire will probably be lined by a Met Eireann orange wind warning. In Munster and Connacht, that warning got here into impact at 8pm on Friday and can prolong to 10am on Saturday.
Bridges closed, and rail, ferry and air companies disrupted
Each the Prince of Wales Bridge, M4, and the Severn Bridge, M48, which join south-west England to Wales have been closed resulting from robust winds attributable to Darragh, Nationwide Highways has mentioned.
Dublin airport has confirmed it had welcomed quite a few flights certain for different airports and had been diverted as a result of storm.
Quite a few British Airways flights to and from Heathrow, Paris, america and the Netherlands had been additionally cancelled.
Community Rail Wales has mentioned all prepare companies west of Cardiff had been suspended till additional discover resulting from falling bushes blocking the road.
Nationwide Rail has mentioned Storm Darragh was prone to have an effect on companies throughout the entire community, advising individuals to verify their journey in full earlier than travelling as it could imply final companies of the day are cancelled and passengers could not attain their vacation spot.
You could find particulars on Nationwide Rail service disruptions right here.
Chiltern Railways suggested clients to solely journey if completely crucial on Saturday, with important disruption anticipated throughout the community.
A diminished timetable will probably be in operation, with one prepare an hour on all routes. Chiltern mentioned clients with tickets on Saturday can use them on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday as a substitute.
Stena Line mentioned the storm can be “impacting” some sailings over the approaching days, and Bristol airport mentioned disruption was anticipated.
“Passengers are suggested to verify with their airline earlier than travelling,” a warning on the Bristol airport web site mentioned.
Three million individuals informed to remain residence by emergency cell phone alert
The Cupboard Workplace issued an emergency alert at 6.45pm on Friday to three million individuals in areas lined by the Met Workplace’s uncommon purple warning for wind in elements of Wales and south-west England.
The emergency alert system despatched a message to each suitable cell phone within the affected areas, containing details about the purple warning and steerage on keep secure into Saturday.
This included a line that mentioned: “Robust winds could cause flying particles, falling bushes and huge waves round coastal areas, all of which might current a hazard to life. Keep indoors in the event you can. It isn’t secure to drive in these circumstances.”
It was the biggest use of the emergency alert system exterior a take a look at state of affairs – the final take a look at being in April 2023.
It’s understood residents in Devon, Bathtub and North East Somerset, town of Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Somerset, Isle of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend, Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff, Monmouthshire and Newport obtained the alert.
Cellphones made a loud siren-like sound even when they had been set on silent. The sound and vibration lasted for about 10 seconds.
The warning, which has led to the cancellation of occasions together with Christmas sights, is in place from 3am to 11am on Saturday.
The Met Workplace has warned of “damaging winds” with gusts of 90mph (145km/h) potential over the coasts and hills of West and South Wales. Forecasters say the strongest winds will start to ease from late morning.
‘Hazard to life’ warning issued for elements of UK as Storm Darragh hits
Jamie Grierson
A purple warning for wind, signalling “hazard to life”, has been issued by the Met Workplace for elements of Wales and south-west England as Storm Darragh hits the UK.
Gusts of 90mph (145km/h) or extra had been potential over the coasts and hills of west and south Wales, in addition to funnelling by the Bristol Channel with some very massive waves on uncovered seashores, the forecaster mentioned.
The uncommon purple warning was in place from 3am to 11am on Saturday and signalled a hazard to life resulting from flying particles and falling bushes.
An amber warning for wind was already in place for big elements of the UK, with energy cuts and flying particles potential amid the arrival of Storm Darragh, the fourth named storm of the season.
The amber warning for “doubtlessly damaging” winds was in place on Saturday from 1am till 9pm for the west coast of the UK from South Ayrshire in Scotland right down to Cornwall, in addition to in Northern Eire.
Yellow warnings for wind and rain on Thursday throughout elements of Northern Eire, Wales, Scotland and England had been prolonged to cowl the north-east and south of England on Friday.
Flying particles might trigger harm or hazard to life and buildings could also be broken, reminiscent of tiles blown from roofs, the Met Workplace mentioned. Energy cuts and huge waves must be anticipated, and a few roads and bridges could also be closed, with falling bushes posing a further hazard.
Nationwide Highways, which runs the UK’s motorways and busiest A-roads, has issued a extreme climate alert for Saturday and has warned motorists within the south-west and north-west to organize for gale pressure winds.
It mentioned routes prone to be affected by the strongest winds embrace the M5 in northern Somerset, the A30 in Cornwall and the M6 in Cheshire.
Extreme winds are already affecting journey in elements of the UK with the M48 Severn Bridge in Gloucestershire closed on Thursday night time due to gusty climate.
A yellow warning for rain will probably be in place for Northern Eire and Wales, which had been badly affected by flooding throughout Storm Bert, from 3pm on Friday till 12pm on Saturday.
As much as 60mm of rain might fall in these areas throughout the warning interval, which can result in some flooding and disruption, forecasters mentioned.
