A man has died and hundreds of thousands of homes are without power as Storm Amy, the first named storm of the season, wreaks havoc across the UK and Ireland. Irish police are treating the death in County Donegal as weather-related.
In Northern Ireland, approximately 50,000 properties are without power, while the Republic of Ireland reports around 184,000 homes, farms and businesses affected. A provisional October wind gust record of 92mph was set at Magilligan in County Derry.
An amber weather warning, highlighting a danger to life, remains in place for northern Scotland until 9pm on Saturday. Winds could reach 100mph in exposed parts of western Scotland, with widespread gusts of 60-70mph. The Met Office has issued 25 flood warnings and 17 flood alerts across Scotland.
Transport has been severely disrupted, with all train lines in Northern Ireland closed, ferry sailings cancelled between Scotland and Northern Ireland, and flights affected at Belfast airports. The Forth Road Bridge has been closed to all vehicles, and a derelict building collapsed in Glasgow due to high winds.
Schools in parts of Northern Ireland closed early, and the Irish government issued a red wind warning for County Donegal, advising residents to shelter in place. The RNLI has urged extreme caution near coasts, and several events, including a United Rugby Championship match in Edinburgh, have been cancelled.
