Storm Dara: Power cuts to thousands of Britons and train trips cancelled
The British news agency (PA Media) reported that the emergency warning came into force at 1 a.m. (0100 GMT) today, Saturday, for people covered by the Met Office’s rare red warning for winds in parts of Wales and southwest England.
This was the largest use of the warning system, which calls for people to avoid driving and “stay inside as much as possible.”
Widespread power outage due to “Dara”
Thousands of people were without power in Northern Ireland, England and Wales, as they prepared for the repercussions of the storm.
As of five in the morning, the National Electricity Grid announced that more than 12,600 buildings were without power in the Midlands and the southwest of the country, and more than 20,000 homes were without power in Wales.
The United Kingdom has prepared for Storm Dara, with British authorities issuing emergency alerts for about three million people in parts of Wales and southwest England.
This represents the largest use of the emergency warning system, which sends alerts to mobile phones in areas covered by the Met Office red warning, according to what the BBC website reported.
Storm Dara warning details
The system issued a loud audible alert via the siren, which continued for approximately 10 seconds even with the devices set to silent mode.
This warning came in conjunction with a rare red warning, the highest warning level of the Meteorological Service, indicating a life-threatening weather threat, in effect from 03:00 to 11:00 GMT on Saturday.
Areas affected by Storm Dara
The warnings include the western and southern coastal areas of Wales, and the Bristol Channel, including the cities of Bristol and Cardiff.
According to the National Weather Service, wind speeds are expected to reach 90 miles per hour (144 kilometers per hour) or more, which could lead to severe damage.
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