Storm Isha: Thousands of people without power and transport disrupted

Thousands of people have been left without power as Storm Isha brought disruption to electricity and transport networks.

The storm battered the UK with heavy rain and gusts of up to 99mph.

The entire country was subject to wind warnings issued by the Met Office.

Northern Ireland Electricity Networks said 45,000 customers were without power, while Electricity North West also said thousands of properties in north-west England had lost their supply.

Widespread power cuts in the Republic of Ireland were affecting more than 170,000 properties.

Fallen trees have affected transport, with Traffic Scotland reporting stretches of the M9 and M74 were among roads closed throughout the night, while the A1 southbound was closed at Thorntonloch due to an overturned lorry.

High winds forced the closure of the Tay Road Bridge, M48 Severn Bridge and the A66 in Durham and Cumbria between the A1(M) and the M6, while the Humber Bridge, A19 Tees Flyover and A628 Woodhead Pass in Derbyshire were among stretches closed to high-sided vehicles.

ScotRail services have been suspended since 7pm on Sunday and are not expected to resume until around noon on Monday as dozens of lines are closed due to fallen trees and flooding.

A Network Rail spokesman said: “Hundreds of engineers are already out, armed with chainsaws and cherry pickers to remove and repair.

“Once done, route-proving trains will be dispatched before passenger services can restart.

“It’s been a wild night, but passengers and railway staff have been kept safe and we will work tirelessly to get the railway back on its feet as quickly as we can.”

Lines in England and Wales have been cleared and “a good service is expected in most areas” on Monday, he added.

Network Rail said the remains of a garden shed were blown on to the line at Bellgrove station in Glasgow and a small fire broke out after a tree fell on overhead wires in Gartcosh, Cumbernauld.

At least 10 trees fell on the line between Garrowhill and Easterhouse near Glasgow and damaged overhead lines.

A wall and fence were blown on to the line at Glasgow Queen Street, while the River Tay breached safety limits at the Dalguise Viaduct on the Highland Mainline, forcing the overnight watchman to abandon the site.

East Midlands Railway has said delays and alterations to its services are “likely”, while no LNER trains will run north of Newcastle until noon.

Avanti West Coast warned of changes and delays on Monday and said no passengers should attempt to travel between Preston and Scotland until services are due to resume at 9am.

Meanwhile, air traffic control restrictions are in place, leading to flight cancellations and causing many planes to divert.

Ryanair flights to Dublin from Manchester and Lanzarote in the Canary Islands diverted to the French cities of Paris and Bordeaux respectively.

A Tui flight travelling from Sharm el Sheikh to Glasgow Airport declared an emergency due to Storm Isha.

A spokesman for Glasgow Airport said the flight was “diverted to Manchester due to current weather conditions”.

National Air Traffic Services told the PA news agency: “Due to adverse weather conditions across the UK, temporary air traffic restrictions are in place. Restrictions of this sort are only ever applied to maintain safety.

“Our teams are working closely with airports and airlines to minimise disruption. Passengers should check the status of their flight with their airline.”

Agencies across Cumbria declared themselves on stand-by for a major incident, with Sellafield nuclear site closing as a precaution on Sunday.

One person was struck by falling debris after scaffolding became dislodged in Belfast. They were treated at the scene by emergency services.

The Met Office said the highest recorded wind speed during Storm Isha was 99mph at Brizlee Wood in Northumberland, with gusts of 90mph at Capel Curig in Snowdonia on Sunday.

A rare red warning for wind in north-east Scotland was in place until 5am on Monday, with amber warnings covering much of the UK until 6am and further yellow warnings covering the entire country until noon.

A further yellow warning for wind for Scotland, Northern Ireland, north Wales and northern England is active from 4pm on Tuesday until noon on Wednesday.

The Met Office said “everybody” was affected by the storm.

Heavy downpours battered some places, with 28 flood warnings in place in England and 50 in Scotland.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said the weather was putting “significant pressure” on the 999 system and urged people to report non-emergencies online or by calling 101.

Chief Superintendent Davy Beck said many roads across Northern Ireland remained impassable on Monday morning.

He said in a statement: “Between 3.30pm on Sunday 21st January and 2am on Monday 22nd January officers dealt with over 1,300 calls from the public, approximately 600 of these related to the storm.

“There is also a continued risk of significant debris on the road network as wind speeds remain high throughout Monday.

“A multi-agency response continues to deal with the aftermath and recovery from Storm Isha, and we thank the public for their continued patience and understanding.”

The sailing of a Stena Line ferry from Belfast to Birkenhead, due to arrive at 6.30pm on Sunday, was delayed until at least 7.30am on Monday.

The Met Office said Storm Isha – the ninth named storm to hit the UK since the season began in September – is expected to pull away through the day, although it is likely to remain windy with a mixture of sunny spells and scattered showers.

Showers are expected to be heaviest and most frequent in the north and west on Monday, but easing with a dry night except in the north-west, and winds also easing.

A bright start to Tuesday will see cloud and rain moving in from the west and winds increasing with severe gales possible.