An elderly man in Scotland and a driver in Derry have lost their lives, and thousands of homes across the UK remain without power today due to the havoc caused by Storm Isha. This storm has disrupted transportation networks and led to the closure of numerous schools, with winds reaching up to 160 km/h.
The British Meteorological Office (Met Office) issued a ‘yellow’ warning, indicating the possibility of transport disruption across the country. Simultaneously, Irish authorities warned of a new storm called Jocelyn, which is expected to impact both the United Kingdom and Ireland tomorrow night.
In Scotland, the passage of Isha had tragic consequences, with the Police confirming the death of an 84-year-old man in Grangemouth. The vehicle in which he was traveling as a passenger collided with a tree that had fallen due to the storm around 23:45 GMT last night.
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In County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, another driver was killed in an accident caused by a fallen tree in the town of Limavady. Two vans were involved in the incident, and police confirmed the death of a driver in his 60s.
Strong winds and rain left thousands of people without power in areas of Scotland, Northern Ireland, northwest England and Wales. The Met Office warned that winds will remain strong throughout the day, with further gusts predicted for the end of the week.
In Northern Ireland, several trees fell on the iconic beech avenue known as The Dark Hedges, popularized in the ‘Game of Thrones’ series. In the Republic of Ireland, around 235,000 homes were still without electricity, while in the north of the island the figure was around 45,000, after a night hit by winds of more than 130 km/h.
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British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the Government is “working hard” alongside local authorities to restore electricity to affected homes. Disruptions to transport included road closures, speed restrictions on the rail network and flight cancellations.
The weather conditions also caused the closure of dozens of schools, mainly in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Claire Nasir, a Met Office meteorologist, told BBC Radio 5 that the “more intense storms” in the UK recently are attributable to the effects of climate change.
2024-01-22 16:56:56
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