LONDON — On Saturday, Britain and Ireland were hit hard by intense winds and heavy rain, leaving one man dead and hundreds of thousands without electricity. The region experienced gusts reaching up to 93 miles per hour.
In a rare move, officials issued an emergency alert that was sent to approximately 3 million households in Wales and southwest England. This alert, which sounded off like a siren, urged residents to remain indoors as Storm Darragh advanced.
Tragically, a man in his 40s lost his life when a tree fell onto his van while he was driving on a highway near Preston, located about 36 miles north of Manchester.
The Met Office, the U.K.’s weather forecasting service, issued a red weather warning—the most severe level available. Many homes, particularly in Northern Ireland, Wales, and western England, faced power outages overnight due to the storm’s impact.
Strong winds also forced the closure of major highways and bridges nationwide, and numerous train services were suspended. Across Ireland, nearly 400,000 homes, farms, and businesses were left without power. Additionally, some flights at Dublin Airport were cancelled due to the severe weather conditions.
