Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, has brought travel chaos to the UK and Ireland, with flights cancelled, schools closed and more than 18,000 homes without power in the South West.
Forecasters confirmed a further amber weather warning for over the weekend, with 'danger to life' warnings already in place. The storm was forecast to bring gusts of up to 80mph to parts of the South West, and 76mph was recorded at St Mary's Airport on the Isles of Scilly on Friday morning (October 23).
Power cuts and priority customers
Just before 10.30am, more than 18,000 homes were without power in the South West, according to National Grid. Of those, more than 6,000 are customers who have signed up to the priority services register of people who may have additional needs or require extra support.
Trees have fallen into the roads in some parts of Cornwall, according to Penzance Council.
Travel disruption and warnings
The storm has caused disruption in the skies and on the roads, with flight cancellations reported. The amber weather warning is set to remain in place over the weekend as the storm continues to affect the region.
This is a breaking news story and is being constantly updated.
