The Darragh storm hit the British Isles. It brought with it very strong winds, which gusted to over 150 kilometers per hour. Two people died as a result of the disaster.
Two men were killed by the storm, the BBC reported. One died in Lancashire, southwest England. As the police reported on Saturday, the man was driving a car when a tree fell on him. He suffered serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. A second man was killed in the Erdington area of Birmingham, England. According to West Midlands Police, a tree hit his car.
Most of the UK, apart from the northern regions, is under Level 1 wind warnings issued by the British Met Office.
Strong winds tore down power lines, knocked down trees and broke high-voltage poles. Electricity supplier Northern Ireland Electricity in Northern Ireland said around 46,000 customers were left without electricity on Saturday morning.
Over 150 kilometers per hour
According to the British meteorological agency Met Office, on Saturday the strongest wind gusts associated with Hurricane Darragh were recorded on the Berry Head Peninsula in England. There were winds blowing at a speed of 155 kilometers per hour.
Strong wind gusts were also recorded in the village of Capel Curig in Conwy County Borough in Wales – 150 km/h.
Communication paralysis
Strong winds damaged part of the roof at Castle Douglas High School in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
The storm caused major communication disruptions. In Scotland, the railway line between Ayr and Girvan was closed on Saturday after a large tree fell on the tracks. Difficulties were also reported on the national roads A93, A939 and A1, as well as in ferry traffic. Some bus and train services have been suspended in Northern Ireland.
About three million residents received text message alerts warning of strong winds on Friday. This is the first time this system has been used on such a scale outside of testing.
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/JON ROWLEY