Thousands Still Without Electricity After Storm Darragh

Approximately 57,000 residences and commercial establishments in Wales continue to experience power outages in the aftermath of Storm Darragh, which impacted significant areas of the nation. Even though the severe winds have diminished, a yellow Met Office weather alert was active throughout Wales until 18:00 GMT on Sunday. This situation follows a day marked by extensive damage and interruptions to travel, caused by winds that reached speeds of 94mph (150 km/h). Many roads remain inaccessible, prompting a council leader to urge motorists to avoid them during clearance operations. Concurrently, most train services are suspended, along with ferry crossings connecting to and from Ireland. Andrew Morgan, who leads the Welsh Local Government Association, informed BBC Politics Wales that thousands of trees had fallen throughout the country. Morgan, also the council leader in Rhondda Cynon Taf—an area that experienced significant flooding damage from Storm Bert in November—stated, “Luckily, we didn’t get the severe rain that was suggested.” He noted that some schools were among the structures that sustained damage, and road debris continued to pose an issue in numerous locations. Morgan added, “We’ve asked people to try and avoid travel if they can just for [Sunday]… in terms of clearing highways.” National Grid reported approximately 39,000 properties in mid and south Wales were without electricity. Scottish Power indicated that around 18,000 properties, primarily located across north and mid Wales, also lacked power. Liam O’Sullivan of Scottish Power commented, “This is one of the worst storms we’ve seen in a long time.” He further explained that powerful winds impeded overnight repair operations, but as the weather improved, the company had “every team available working to get people back on supply.” Natural Resources Wales (NRW) confirmed that a small number of flood warnings, which represent the second highest alert level, were active. Road closures persist throughout Wales, including the M48 Severn Bridge in Monmouthshire, attributed to strong winds. Concurrently, railway crews have been “working very hard in difficult conditions” to restore operational lines. A Transport for Wales spokesperson stated, “We are confident the majority of services east of Swansea, including South Wales Main Line, the Vale of Glamorgan and Core Valley Lines will be running in the morning.” Great Western Railway anticipates its route between London Paddington and Swansea will operate from the beginning of service tomorrow. Nevertheless, services connecting Swansea and Carmarthen are not expected to recommence before midday, as safety inspections are ongoing. Irish Ferries canceled its services to and from Wales for the majority of Sunday, although some sailings from Pembroke and Holyhead were planned for a later time. The previous red warning issued in Wales occurred during Storm Eunice in 2022, which resulted in power loss for tens of thousands of individuals. Prior to the storm, NRW had indicated that the anticipated rainfall would be less than what was experienced during Storm Bert, which caused widespread disruption across Wales last month.