The Met Office has issued “danger to life” weather warnings for rain and wind in parts of Scotland, Wales, and the Southwest of England amid Storm Bram as disruption is expected
The Met Office has advised Brits to follow six simple steps to stay safe during Storm Bram.
Gales of up to 90mph are expected today for several hours as the storm sweeps across the country, likely to cause travel disruption, flooding and power cuts. Schools across Ireland and the UK have already announced they will close today in order to keep children safe.
But forecasters have warned us — both adults and children — to follow guidelines to avoid hazards the storm will bring. The vicious storm could cause damage to buildings and homes, and lead to “flying debris” which will be dangerous, particularly along coastlines.
Some homes and businesses are likely to be flooded and potentially damaged, while some communities could be cut off because of flooded roads, the Met Office said. It added Brits should check for loose items outside homes, such as trampolines, and plan how to secure them.
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The Met Office’s safety guidelines in full are;
- Check for loose items outside your home and plan how to secure them, this includes bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences
- Check bus and train timetables, amending travel plans if necessary. If driving, check road conditions and ensure you have essentials in your car such as warm clothing, food, water, a blanket, a torch, an in-car phone charger
- Handle power cuts by gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items
- Anyone living on the coast, be aware of large waves, according to MET offive even from the shore large breaking waves can sweep anyone off their feet and out to sea.
- Be careful when walking near cliffs, know your route and keep dogs on a lead. In an emergency, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard
- Weather warnings can change quickly! So stay up to date with MET office warnings or the weather forecast in your area
READ MORE: Storm Bram LIVE: Met Office urgent ‘danger to life’ warnings for 16 UK regions
Transport Scotland said the conditions caused by Storm Bram are likely to cause disruption to road, rail, air and ferry travel. Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop urged people to “plan ahead” if they need to travel, adding: “The high winds are likely to impact other modes of transport, so if you are planning to travel by train, ferry or air, please check with your operator to see if your service has been affected.”
The amber rain warning covers parts of South Wales and parts of the South West of England, mostly covering Dartmoor in Devon. The forecasters said around 100mm of rain (nearly four inches) could fall in some locations with 50 to 75mm of rain expected across much of the warning area.
