A man has died and hundreds of thousands of homes are without power as Storm Amy, the first named storm of the season, sweeps across the UK and Ireland. Irish police are treating the death in County Donegal as weather-related.
In Northern Ireland, approximately 50,000 properties lost power, while the Republic of Ireland saw around 184,000 homes, farms, and businesses affected. A provisional October wind gust record of 92mph was set at Magilligan, County Derry.
Transport has been severely disrupted, with all train lines in Northern Ireland closed and ferry services between Scotland and Northern Ireland cancelled. Flights at Belfast International and Belfast City airports may be affected. In Scotland, a derelict building collapsed in Glasgow due to high winds.
The Met Office issued an amber warning for northern Scotland until Saturday evening, with gusts up to 100mph expected in exposed western areas. Flood warnings and alerts are in place across Scotland, and the Forth Road Bridge was closed to all vehicles.
In the Republic of Ireland, a red wind warning was issued for County Donegal, with residents advised to shelter in place. Schools in affected areas closed early, and the Foyle Bridge in Derry was shut due to strong winds.
The RNLI urged extreme caution near coasts, and several events, including a United Rugby Championship match in Edinburgh, were cancelled. Power restoration efforts are underway, with both ESB and NIE Networks mobilising additional staff.
