London battered by strong winds as further yellow warning issued - live
Storm Darragh has caused significant disruption throughout Britain, compelling people in the hardest-hit regions to remain inside and leaving many without electricity.
London managed to avoid the worst of the storm, but still experienced winds reaching 49 mph, which led to the closure of all Royal Parks and the Winter Wonderland event. At Heathrow Airport, more than 200 flights were canceled, and dramatic videos captured planes battling to land amid the strong winds.
Even with the tough weather, some people in London decided to brave the elements. This included those taking part in a Christmas Jumper Corgi Parade in Central London, which proceeded as scheduled.
The Met Office has prolonged its yellow weather alert for London and the South East until Sunday evening, predicting winds to hit speeds of 40-50 mph. Additionally, rain is expected to fall for much of the day on Sunday.
On Sunday, over 160 flights at Heathrow were called off due to the severe winds hitting the city.
London is currently dealing with strong winds of up to 55 mph, prompting the issuance of a yellow weather warning for the city.
The Met Office has predicted that the blustery conditions will persist through Sunday.
In another incident, a man in his 40s lost his life when a tree collapsed onto his van in Lancashire. Additionally, another man passed away later on the road in the Birmingham area.
Thousands of individuals in Northern Ireland, England, and Wales experienced power outages as they prepared for the effects of the storm.
Dad Watches Storm Darragh Wreak Havoc On School
A father in rural west Wales has called it "heartbreaking" to witness the destruction of his three-year-old son's preschool due to the powerful winds from Storm Darragh.
Brett Stones, 45, watched in shock as the roof of the Cylch Meithrin in New Quay, Ceredigion, came loose and was carried away by the wind on Saturday afternoon.
The region was included in the rare red warning for strong winds that the Met Office issued for the storm.
The weather expert cautioned before the storm hit that there might be damage to structures and residences, as well as debris being tossed around by the strong winds.
Mr. Stones mentioned that the intense winds began in New Quay at approximately 2 a.m. on Saturday, but things really escalated around 1 p.m.
He shared with the PA news agency: "I have a lot of trees fallen, along with some damaged fences and tiles. Rather than stand by and watch everything get worse, we decided to go inside the house. Around 2 PM, the electricity cut out, and we ended up sitting around the kitchen table, just staring at each other."
A loud creaking sound came from the back of the house; the school is around 50 meters away. Suddenly, a chunk of soft insulation landed in the garden.
We dashed up to the window right when the roof tore away and soared into the tennis courts.
Storm Claims First Victim: Football Coach Identified
The initial casualty of Storm Darragh, who lost his life when a tree crashed onto his van in Lancashire, has been identified locally as Paul Fiddler, a football coach.
Mr. Fiddler, a man in his 40s, was behind the wheel of his Citroen on the A59 highway in Longton, close to Preston, around 9 AM on Saturday.
He was declared dead at the location.
Lytham Town FC shared on Facebook that Mr. Fiddler was a "legend" of the club.
It continued: "A cherished coach, footballer, mentor, and above all, a genuine friend."
"Thank you for everything, Paul. We're keeping the Lytham Town guys, along with his friends and family, in our thoughts during this difficult time."
"Farewell, Paul. You will be greatly missed."
Detective Sergeant Matt Davidson of Lancashire Police’s serious collision investigation team stated, "Unfortunately, this incident has led to the loss of a man's life, and we extend our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time."
The inquiry is still in progress, and I encourage anyone who witnessed the event or has any video recordings from a dashcam or mobile phone to reach out.
Over 50 Flood Warnings Remain Active
By Sunday afternoon, the Environment Agency had issued over 50 flood warnings, indicating that flooding is anticipated.
On Sunday afternoon, the agency issued over 130 flood warnings throughout England.
Natural Resources Wales issued a total of nine flood warnings and 16 flood alerts.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill mentioned, "While we're not completely back to tranquility after the storm, it is definitely more peaceful than it was yesterday."
Strong winds are still present, as the low-pressure system known as Storm Darragh has moved off to the southeast. However, the close spacing of isobars across much of the country suggests that we can expect more windy conditions throughout the day.
"The strongest winds will hit the coastal areas this morning, reaching speeds of 60 to 70 mph. Further inland, gusts of 40 to 50 mph are expected."
Storm Darragh Hits The UK: See The Photos
A flood warden fords through the water on a street beside a caution sign.
Choppy waters by the lighthouse at Tynemouth on the River Tyne
The scene depicts flooding beside residential yards.
Train travelers are standing with their bags at Victoria station, affected by delays caused by Storm Darragh.
Monday's Weather Forecast For London
Things are expected to get back to normal in London on Monday, as the Met Office lifted its yellow warning on Sunday evening.
On Monday, the sky in the capital will mostly be cloudy, with possible rain beginning in the evening.
The forecast says, "It's going to be another overcast day with occasional rain showers. The western part of the area is more likely to have some drier periods. Expect strong and gusty winds throughout the day, but they should start to calm down later on."
Over 150,000 People Are Powerless
As of 2 PM on Sunday, approximately 161,000 customers remained without electricity due to the destruction inflicted by Storm Darragh, according to the Energy Networks Association.
In its most recent update, the organization reported that 91 percent of the customers impacted have had their services restored by the network operators.
"Uncertain When Power Will Be Restored"
A woman has expressed uncertainty about when the electricity will be restored.
Deb Knowles, a resident of Devon, informed PA that she hasn't been able to reach anyone who can assist her.
"I can't understand how, in a developed country, the only option to report an emergency is through a single phone number. It seems completely absurd," she went on to say.
"There are countless others who find themselves in the same situation as I am. I realize I'm not alone in this, and many people are facing similar struggles. However, there should be more options available for reporting power outages than just a single phone number."
Candles Shine Bright Amid Power Cuts
In complete darkness, many individuals have been using candles for light after experiencing power outages that have lasted over 24 hours because of Storm Darragh.
A woman living close to Rackenford in Devon reported that her family was without electricity for over 24 hours, starting at 12:30 PM on Saturday. They also had limited access to water from just one tap, which led them to gather rainwater to use for flushing the toilets.
Theresa White, 55, shared with the PA news agency, “It was completely dark, so we entertained ourselves with some card games and similar activities while trying to contact our energy supplier.”
Some have referred to their environment as completely dark.
Hundreds Of Thousands Still Without Power
On Sunday, hundreds of thousands of individuals experienced their second day without electricity following the extensive damage caused by Storm Darragh.
A yellow wind alert is still in effect for all of England and Wales until 6pm. The Met Office has cautioned that additional powerful winds, reaching speeds of up to 70mph, may lead to potential temporary power outages.
The Energy Networks Association reported that around 200,000 customers were still experiencing power outages as of 9 AM on Sunday due to the storm's impact. However, they also noted that 88% of those who were affected have had their service restored.
Theresa White, 55, from near Rackenford in Devon, shared that her family had to light candles in complete darkness after being without electricity for over a day because of the storm.
She mentioned, "We had no internet access, and none of our phone signals were operational, so we felt completely isolated, especially since we live in a forested region."
Travel Chaos Persists Due To Storm Darragh
The National Highways authority has announced that both the M48 at Severn Bridge, between junctions 1 and 2, and the M4 at the Prince of Wales Bridge are currently shut down because of strong winds. Additionally, the A15 Humber Bridge is closed in both directions for tall and at-risk vehicles.
Videos posted on social media captured a British Airways plane struggling against fierce winds while trying to land at Heathrow Airport.
South Western Railway announced that train services in Surrey, particularly between Guildford and Effingham Junction, as well as through Farncombe, are experiencing delays or changes until Sunday afternoon due to fallen trees on the tracks. Passengers were encouraged to arrange their own taxis to reach Epsom.
Avanti West Coast announced that all train services are suspended between Wolverhampton and Stafford because a tree has fallen on the tracks. This disruption is likely to continue throughout the day.
Several Transport for Wales services are still not running, and the operator is recommending that passengers avoid traveling on Sunday.
