Millions of people have been urged to stay inside as Storm Darragh hits the UK and Ireland.
A rare red “danger to life” weather warning has been issued for much of Wales and parts of the South West as the fourth named storm of the season reaches the UK.
It is one of a swathe of warnings currently covering the country.
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The Met Office has issued a number of weather warnings this weekend. Pic: Met Office
Pic: Met Office
The government sent out a text alert to around three million people ahead of landfall, before Storm Darragh hit Ireland first, and then moved on to the British Isles.
The alert warned people of the coming disruption and asked them to “stay indoors if you can”, saying it wasn’t safe to drive in the stormy conditions.
It comes as parts of the UK are still recovering from recent storms that have battered communities and claimed lives.
Red ‘risk to life’ weather warning
Beginning at 3am on Saturday morning, the red weather warning lasts until 11am.
It is set to bring gusts of winds up to 90mph, with the worst of the weather expected over the coastal areas and parts of West and South Wales.
Strong winds will also be funnelled through the Bristol Channel, causing large waves on exposed beaches, the Met Office said.
The red warning is one of nine warnings in place on Saturday, including two amber wind warnings.
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Millions sent storm alert
The areas covered by the red warning in the South West are:
• Bath and North East Somerset
• Bristol
• Devon
• North Somerset
• Somerset
• South Gloucestershire
And in Wales are:
• Bridgend
• Cardiff
• Carmarthenshire
• Ceredigion
• Conwy
• Gwynedd
• Isle of Anglesey
• Monmouthshire
• Neath Port Talbot
• Newport
• Pembrokeshire
• Swansea
• Vale of Glamorgan
Wind warnings covering almost all of the UK are in place until Sunday morning.
People warned to stay inside
The Cabinet Office’s emergency alert on Friday advised people to consider gathering “torches, batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items” already in their homes.
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Storm Darragh: How bad will it be?
The text read: “A RED warning for wind has been issued in your area. Extremely strong winds associated with Storm Darragh are expected to cause significant disruption.
“Strong winds can cause flying debris, falling trees and large waves around coastal areas, all of which can present a danger to life.”
When it came in, the alert made a sound much louder than a normal text until it was switched off.
However, some people claimed they didn’t receive it.