{"id":10435,"date":"2024-12-07T15:41:31","date_gmt":"2024-12-07T15:41:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/?p=10435"},"modified":"2024-12-07T15:41:31","modified_gmt":"2024-12-07T15:41:31","slug":"storm-darragh-uk-winds-power-loss-first-victim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/storm-darragh-uk-winds-power-loss-first-victim\/","title":{"rendered":"Storm Darragh\u2019s 150KM\/H Winds Leave Thousands Without Power Across Britain: First Victim Confirmed"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In the early hours of Saturday morning, <strong>Storm Darragh<\/strong> swept across the UK with a ferocity rarely seen, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. With <strong>93mph\u00a0winds<\/strong> uprooting trees, tearing apart historic landmarks, and plunging tens of thousands into darkness, the storm forced the nation to a standstill.<\/p>\n<h2>Rare Red Warning Issued for Life-Threatening Weather<\/h2>\n<p>The UK has been battered by <strong>Storm Darragh<\/strong>, one of the most severe storms in recent years, with winds reaching <b>93mph (149.67 km\/h)<\/b>. A rare <strong>red weather warning<\/strong>, signalling a <strong>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/storm-darragh-danger-to-life-warning-19-areas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">danger to life<\/a>\u201d<\/strong>, was issued for parts of southwest England and Wales, as the storm left a trail of destruction and claimed at least one life.<\/p>\n<p>Tragically, <strong>a man in his 40s died<\/strong> in <strong>Longton<\/strong>, near <strong>Preston<\/strong>, after a tree fell onto his vehicle. The <strong>Met Office<\/strong> described the conditions as \u201c<strong>exceptional<\/strong>,\u201d noting that red warnings have only been issued around 20 times since 2011.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10438\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10438\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-10438 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Large-waves-batter-the-North-Devon-coast-at-Ilfracombe.jpg\" alt=\"Large Waves Batter The North Devon Coast At Ilfracombe\" width=\"660\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Large-waves-batter-the-North-Devon-coast-at-Ilfracombe.jpg 660w, https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Large-waves-batter-the-North-Devon-coast-at-Ilfracombe-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Large-waves-batter-the-North-Devon-coast-at-Ilfracombe-520x347.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10438\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ilfracombe, UK, 07th Dec 2024. Large waves batter the North Devon coast at Ilfracombe, as Storm Darragh hits the UK. The storm has prompted a rare red warning from the Met office, forecasting a \u2018Danger to Life\u2019. Picture: Alamy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Widespread Damage and Power Outages<\/h2>\n<p>The storm\u2019s fierce winds caused significant damage, particularly along coastal areas and in rural regions. In <strong>Llandudno<\/strong>, North Wales, a historic pier hut was blown away, while in <strong>Sidmouth<\/strong>, Devon, fallen trees blocked roads for hours, isolating homes and hindering emergency services.<\/p>\n<p>Around <strong>86,000 homes<\/strong> were left without electricity at the peak of the storm, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalgrid.co.uk\/news-and-events\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>National Grid<\/strong><\/a>. The most affected areas included:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Southwest England<\/strong>, where more than <strong>55,000 customers<\/strong> were left in the dark.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Wales<\/strong>, where remote rural areas experienced prolonged outages due to difficult access for repair teams.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Efforts to restore power began immediately, but some regions are expected to face extended delays due to the scale of the damage.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10437\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10437\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-10437 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Storm-Darragh-brought-down-a-tree-in-Sid-Road.jpg\" alt=\"Storm Darragh Brought Down A Tree In Sid Road\" width=\"660\" height=\"350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Storm-Darragh-brought-down-a-tree-in-Sid-Road.jpg 660w, https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Storm-Darragh-brought-down-a-tree-in-Sid-Road-380x202.jpg 380w, https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Storm-Darragh-brought-down-a-tree-in-Sid-Road-520x276.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10437\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sidmouth, Devon, 7th Dec 24 Storm Darragh brought down a tree in Sid Road, Sidmouth, knocking out power to many homes in the area and blocking the road for many hours. Photo Central\/Alamy Live News. Picture: Alamy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Transport Paralysed by Storm Darragh\u2019s Extreme Conditions<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Transport networks<\/strong> were severely <strong>disrupted<\/strong>, with <strong>airports<\/strong>, <strong>railways<\/strong>, and<strong> roads<\/strong> all affected by Storm Darragh. Over <strong>100 flights<\/strong> were cancelled, with <strong>Heathrow<\/strong> and <strong>Gatwick<\/strong> among the worst-hit airports. Several flights were diverted to Germany, including destinations like Frankfurt and D\u00fcsseldorf. Airlines advised passengers to check the status of their flights before travelling to the airport.<\/p>\n<p>Rail services were also disrupted, particularly along coastal lines, where debris on tracks caused significant delays. Meanwhile, motorists were urged to avoid unnecessary journeys as fallen trees and strong winds created hazardous conditions on the roads.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cTemporary restrictions on air traffic are in place to ensure passenger safety,\u201d<\/strong> an air traffic control spokesperson confirmed.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10436\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10436\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-10436 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Accident-in-Plymouth-Central-Park.jpg\" alt=\"Accident In Plymouth Central Park\" width=\"660\" height=\"861\" srcset=\"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Accident-in-Plymouth-Central-Park.jpg 660w, https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Accident-in-Plymouth-Central-Park-291x380.jpg 291w, https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Accident-in-Plymouth-Central-Park-613x800.jpg 613w, https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Accident-in-Plymouth-Central-Park-399x520.jpg 399w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10436\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Accident In Plymouth Central Park. Picture: social media<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Authorities Respond Swiftly<\/h2>\n<p>Local and national authorities have mobilised resources to assist those impacted by the storm. Speaking from Cardiff, the First Minister of Wales, <strong>Eluned Morgan<\/strong>, expressed her support for those impacted, stating:<br \/>\n<strong>\u201cOur thoughts are with those who have suffered loss or damage to property. Efforts to restore power and clear blocked routes are ongoing.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Approximately <strong>3 million people<\/strong> in the most severely affected areas received government alerts on their phones, advising them to <strong>stay indoors<\/strong> and avoid travel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Storm Darragh<\/strong> has left the UK reeling, with winds of up to<strong> 93mph<\/strong>, a rare red alert and widespread chaos. With thousands of homes plunged into darkness and travel brought to a standstill, the impact of the storm has been devastating.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":10444,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-weather","category-news","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10435","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10435"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10435\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10444"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10435"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}