Storm Darragh: Travel disrupted and thousands of homes in Wales left without power
ITV Wales' Carole Green reports.
Wales was battered by Storm Darragh after a rare red warning for wind came into force overnight on Saturday.
Millions of people were warned to stay indoors, thousands were left without power, and trains were cancelled as the UK Government’s “risk to life” alert came into force.
The Met Office has confirmed winds of 92mph were recorded in parts of the UK overnight.
The owners of Llandudno pier shared a post on social media saying: "The pier is taking an absolute battering.
"As some of you are aware we have already lost some units (one being an original nearly 150 years old)."
Footage from across Wales shows destruction caused by Storm Darragh as the UK Government’s “risk to life” alert came into force.
Video credits: Georgia Williams / ITV News Wales
Travel
Transport for Wales cancelled the majority of its services and Cardiff Airport closed its runway until at least 2pm on Saturday, 7 December.
High winds also closed the Prince of Wales Bridge and M48 Severn Bridge in Monmouthshire.
Great Western Railway said all trains between Carmarthen and Bristol were cancelled.
Many stretches of the M4 were closed around Bridgend, Newport, and Neath Port Talbot.
The A470 was blocked due to fallen trees around Llwyn-Onn, Llanrwst and Rhayader.
Natural Resources Wales issued several flood warnings and alerts - check if you're affected here.
The advice was to stay indoors.
Ruth Dodsworth tells us about Storm Darragh
Power outages
The Energy Networks Association said 86,000 homes in England, Scotland and Wales were without power.
A spokesperson said around 385,000 customers had been reconnected overnight, with more than 1,000 engineers ready to be deployed.
National Grid said more than 55,000 customers had no power supply across the South West, South Wales and the West Midlands, with the majority in South Wales.
Around 376,000 customers had their power restored by its teams since the start of the storm.
According to the National Grid, more than 500 homes were without power in Cheddar, 750 in Wedmore area. 695 properties had been affected in Somerton and 662 in Tiverton.
You can find more information about which areas are affected on the National Grid's map here.
Cardiff City's home Championship fixture against Watford on Saturday was postponed, as was Newport County's against visitors Carlisle United in League Two.
Storm Darragh had "very significant effects in many parts of Wales, including on transport, energy infrastructure and property", Wales' First Minister and her deputy said.
A joint statement from Eluned Morgan and Huw Irranca-Davies added: "On behalf of everyone, we wish to thank the emergency services and first responders who have been out through the night in dreadful conditions to keep people safe.
"Our thanks also to people throughout Wales who heeded the very serious red warning and emergency alert that was issued.
"Your actions truly helped the emergency response, and we are grateful.
"Work is ongoing to restore power to homes and reopen parts of the transport network, and our thoughts are with people who have suffered damage to their property and possessions from the storm.
"Many warnings and alerts remain in place, in particular around rivers, and people should be vigilant as the effects of Storm Darragh may be felt for some days yet."
The Cabinet Office issued an emergency alert on Friday to people covered by the Met Office’s rare red warning for wind in parts of Wales and south-west England.
It was the largest use of the warning system yet, with the alert urging residents to avoid driving and to “stay indoors if you can”.
The Met Office issued the red weather warning – the most serious type – on Friday for wind, meaning dangerous weather was forecast and people were urged to take action to keep themselves and others safe.
Mobile phones made a loud siren-like sound even if they were set on silent, with the sound and vibration lasting for around 10 seconds.
But some people claimed they did not receive the alert.
A PhD student in Swansea said she was among many at her university who did not receive an emergency alert sent to people in an area covered by the Met Office’s red warning for wind.
Felicity McKee said she was at an event on her campus at Swansea University when the alerts were sent at 6.45pm on Friday but she only heard it from other attendees’ phones.
“Not everyone’s phone went at once, so I assumed mine was delayed as part of a rollout based on network… but I never got it,” the 33-year-old told PA.
“I even restarted my phone just in case to check if something was blocking it but others also didn’t get it when I was on campus.
“It was a mix of phones going off and the rest of us wondering what was going off as ours weren’t.
“I was concerned because had I not been with others I wouldn’t have realised.”
Ms McKee was with her son at the event and went home early after seeing the alert on other attendees’ devices.
Beth, from Caerphilly, who did not wish to share her surname, told PA no one in her household received an alert.
“I’ve a lot of bigger things to be concerned about but it is kind of alarming (no pun intended) that these alerts are meant to inform everyone and they haven’t,” the 29-year-old said.
“I received the first ever alert when they initially trialled it so thought I’d have no issue receiving more.”
Flying debris and falling trees could pose a risk to life while large waves and beach material could be thrown on to coastal roads and seafronts.
There could also be damage to buildings and homes, with roofs blown off and power lines brought down, as well as power cuts affecting other services such as mobile phone coverage.
Roads, bridges and railway lines may be closed, with delays and cancellations likely to bus, train and ferry services and flights.
The fourth named storm of the season is also expected to bring heavy rain over the weekend, with more than 100 flood warnings and alerts in place across the UK.
An amber warning for rain is in place in Wales from 3am to 6pm on Saturday with heavy rain likely to lead to disruption to transport and infrastructure.
A yellow warning for rain is in place for Northern Ireland and Wales, both of which were badly affected by flooding during Storm Bert, as well as parts of Scotland from 3pm on Friday until noon on Saturday.
Periods of heavy rain in South and mid-Wales through Saturday are likely to see 20-30mm fall in three to six hours, with totals of 80-90mm possible by the time it begins to ease in the evening.
Welsh Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies warned there may be very significant impacts from the storm and urged people to take extreme care this weekend.