Storm Ciaran live: 100,000 homes in UK without power amid flood warnings

Several flood warnings are active in the south of England as the UK reels under the after-effects of the devastating Storm Ciarán.

With around 80 flood warnings and over 220 flood alerts across the UK, the south coast and Channel Islands were pummeled by heavy rain and gusts of up to 100mph.

Nearly 150,000 homes lost power, with approximately 11,300 properties still without electricity as of 4pm yesterday.

Although reconnections reached 135,700, the Energy Networks Association (ENA) emphasised ongoing efforts amid challenging conditions due to violent winds.

The situation is gradually improving as Storm Ciaran moves into the North Sea, though localized rainfall persists in some areas.

The weekend outlook includes showers in the northwest and northeast of Scotland.

Jersey Airport is temporarily closed to commercial flights, with the expectation of reopening for emergencies and medical transfers. In Dorset, firefighters safely evacuated 70 people from Freshwater Holiday Park, near Bridport, with some rescued by boat.

Recovery efforts are in progress in Newry and Newcastle, with ongoing emergency response operations in Downpatrick, as confirmed by a County Down council.

The regions of Downpatrick, Newcastle, and Newry in Northern Ireland bore the brunt of an extended period of heavy rainfall, resulting in severe flooding.

Several rivers in Northern Ireland reached unprecedented levels, leading to the inundation of roads.

The police, firefighters, ambulance service, local councils, and state agencies have been coordinating with the Red Cross to provide assistance to the impacted areas.

Storm Ciarán is sweeping its way across Italy as it moves southward, with weather warnings in place in Venice and Naples.

A man took to X to share the disruption in Prato, Tuscany.

A popular beachfront café in Devon experienced severe damage during the tumultuous Storm Ciarán, leading to its temporary closure.

James Tribble, the owner of The Hideaway in Seaton, Devon, said he was left shocked after woken up by an alert on his motion detection security camera at the restaurant at 7.15am.

He said: “It was a picture of the front door being blown in and one of the windows being blown out.

“I’m standing foot deep in a pile of pebbles and there’s council signage and the coastal path sign on the floor.

“Never in the ten years that I’ve lived in Seaton have I had water come up and encircle the building and water dump in.”

Despite seeing the damage on his security cameras he was unable to get to the scene immediately as it was high tide and he didn’t want to risk his safety in the storm.

Seven people were killed and several were injured after storm Ciarán slammed north-west Europe with heavy rains and strong winds.

A truck driver was killed in the Aisne département of northern France after a tree fell on him, authorities said.

A second death was reported in Le Havre, according to authorities. A 70-year-old man died after falling off his balcony in an accident that police linked to the storm’s powerful winds.

Falling trees led to the death of a woman in the Spanish capital Madrid and another in the south of the Netherlands, local emergency services and police said.

Two people died in the Belgian town of Ghent, including a five-year-old and a 64-year-old German woman visiting the country, the prosecutor’s office said. Both deaths were caused by falling branches.

The storm has led to schools, airports and train services to shut down with several people facing power cuts.

A man on Dover beach toppled to the floor after a gigantic wave floored him.

As winds of up to 104mph swept across the UK, the Channel Islands were particularly badly affected by the severe thunderstorm, which is thought to be the worst to hit the small island of Jersey since 1987.

Residents on the island endured a “terrifying” night as dozens were forced to flee their homes, while a tornado warning was issued by the Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (TORRO) from south Wales to London, as winds and heavy rain brought havoc.

Hundreds of schools were closed in the south of England because of the risk to pupils, after the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for winds that were “strong and potentially disruptive” in the southwest, Wales, London, the southeast and the east of England.

Floods Minister Rebecca Pow said: “I am grateful to the emergency services teams across the country working incredibly hard to respond to Storm Ciaran which continues to bring strong winds and rain across the south coast.

“Potential flooding risks remain across the country with river levels remaining high with large waves at the coast and saturated ground. Environment Agency teams are on the ground operating assets, clearing rivers and debris from falling trees and working with partners to support residents in communities at risk or recently affected by flooding.

“We have activated our Emergency Operations Centre, and are supporting the Cabinet Office to coordinate the government response.”