More than 50,000 still without power after Storm Darragh – as rail disruption continues | UK News

More than 50,000 customers were still without power this morning – and disruption continued on the trains – after Storm Darragh “wreaked havoc” this weekend.

Gusts of more than 90mph were recorded in several places as a rare red warning for wind was issued for parts of Wales and the South West.

Most of the UK was hit by strong winds and rain, and two men were killed when trees fell on their vehicles in Birmingham and Lancashire.

Darragh knocked out electricity to many homes and businesses, but the National Grid said on Monday that power had been restored to more than 1.5 million customers since the start of the storm.

“As of 8am, 53,669 homes and businesses are without electricity across our South Wales, South West, East and West Midlands regions,” it posted on X.

It said engineers had been working round the clock and customers still affected would hopefully be reconnected soon.

Get the forecast for your area

Problems on the trains are also lingering, with Network Rail warning of disruption “across the network” on Monday morning.

Trains affected include various routes on the Transport for Wales network, Great Western services in the South West and South Wales, and Avanti services between Chester and Holyhead.

Passengers were also told to expect delays and cancellations on the West Coast Main Line between London and Scotland early on Monday.

Network Rail’s Chris Baughan said: “Storm Darragh has wreaked havoc on the railway this weekend and we are very sorry to passengers for the disruption to train services this morning on the West Coast Main Line as frontline teams continue with emergency repairs and the clean-up.”

People are advised to check before travelling.

Read more from Sky News:
Jay-Z accused of raping girl, 13, alongside P Diddy
Man in his forties dies in fire in Cumbria

The government sent about three million people a “risk to life” alert to their phones ahead of the storm on Friday. Many sport events, including the Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool, were also cancelled.

The strongest wind speed recorded over the weekend was 96mph at Berry Head in Devon on Saturday, but forecasters say conditions are now expected to improve.

“Storm Darragh has now moved its way off towards the southeast, so things are going to start to settle down over the next couple of days,” said the Met Office’s Liam Eslick.

“But it is still going to remain quite blustery, especially for south and southeast of England, for the next day at least.”