Eight evacuated, one in hospital, as Storm Antoni batters country
Eight people have been evacuated from their Dublin homes after spot flooding caused by heavy rainfall overnight.
One person has been brought to hospital, Dublin Fire Brigade said in a statement.
Forecaster Met Eireann had issued several warnings for heavy rain and strong winds as Storm Antoni moved eastwards across Ireland.
Firefighters attended the scene of flooding at the Castle Court Estate, off the Howth Road in Clontarf, on Saturday morning after multiple 999 calls were made.
Eight people were evacuated by water-trained firefighters using inflatable rescue sleds to help people leave their homes safely.
“Operations are ongoing at the incident and firefighters from North Strand and Phibsborough fire stations are working with Dublin City Council crews alongside ESB network technicians,” it said in a statement.
Firefighters from North Strand and Phibsborough fire stations are on scene at flooding in Clontarf (Dublin Fire Brigade)
“An apartment block basement remains flooded following the heavy rain overnight.”
Dart rail services between Killester and Clontarf Road were also suspended for several hours due to flooding in the area.
There were also several power outages across the country, with hundreds of people in Carrigaline and Crosshaven in Co Cork left without power on Saturday morning.
Met Eireann had issued a Status Yellow rain warning for counties Cavan, Monaghan, Dublin, Kildare, Longford, Louth, Meath, Westmeath and Wicklow that was in place overnight until 11am on Saturday.
A wind warning was also in place for several counties, including Dublin, with a risk of falling branches and difficult travelling conditions.
A Status Yellow wind warning remains in place for nine counties, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and all Munster counties, until 1pm on Saturday, with a risk of gusts reaching up to 110km/hr.
Firefighters from North Strand and Phibsborough fire stations are on scene at flooding in Clontarf (Dublin Fire Brigade)
The weather[1] “won’t be stopping us” as Brighton and Hove Pride parade gets under way amid wet and rainy conditions, organisers have said.
Revellers turned out to cheer on the much-celebrated Pride event along the seafront, despite yellow weather warnings from the Met Office.
Saturday’s parade was expected to draw 300,000 people to the city’s streets, among them community groups, small businesses and NHS[2] services, as they march to the official Pride community fundraiser Fabuloso in the Park at Preston Park.
Brighton Pride’s managing director Paul Kemp said: “We’ve encouraged people to wear ponchos so it might be a little bit Glastonbury.
“That wouldn’t stop us from having a great celebration and a great Pride in our city.”
The annual celebration is the city’s largest single event, expected to boost the economy by more than £20 million over the weekend.
However Govia Thameslink Railway will not be running any trains between London and Brighton on Saturday, blaming an overtime ban by the drivers’ union Aslef.
Mr Kemp said organisers were disappointed a compromise could not be found.
He said: “It will affect turnout absolutely because people will be cut off from the rest of the country.
“I’m sorry for people who booked hotels and paid for accommodation and now can’t get in.”
However he said it “won’t derail us” and “the show goes on”.
Jamie Sanders, 36, travelled from Hastings, East Sussex, as one of the organisers for Sainsbury’s parade group.
While he was able to book a hotel overnight, out of 100 colleagues expecting to take part in the company’s parade, only 60 were able to make it due to the travel disruption.
But he said the “buses were brilliant”, picking people up across other locations to help them get there.
This year’s event, with the theme Dare To Be Different, marks the 50th anniversary of the first Brighton Pride march, organised by the Sussex Gay Liberation Front in July 1973.
A fallen tree on the road to Veryan on the Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall, as a danger to life warning has been issued as Storm Antoni hits parts of the UK, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. (David Davies/PA Wire)
A danger to life warning has been issued as Storm Antoni hits parts of the UK, bringing heavy rain and strong winds.
Falling trees, riptides and inadequate building structures are some of the dangers people should look out for on Saturday during the amber wind warning, the Met Office said.
The amber warning, which indicates flying debris is possible and could lead to injuries or danger to life, is in place for southwestern areas of both England and Wales until 7pm.
Meanwhile a yellow warning for “unseasonably windy weather” is in place for southern parts of the UK until 8pm and a yellow thunderstorm warning has been issued until 10pm for south east England and East Anglia.
And a yellow rain warning has been issued until 4pm on Saturday covering south east Scotland.
An amber warning means there is an increased likelihood of impacts from severe weather and people should consider changing plans and taking action to protect themselves and their property.
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said the storm, which is the first to be named by the Met Office this season, could see winds of up to 70mph on the coast and 60mph inland.
He said: “Storm Antoni is now tracking east into the Irish Sea and will continue to move east across England and Wales.
“With it being the holiday season and it being a Saturday there will be plenty of local events going on, (Storm Antoni) wouldn’t necessarily bring the same level of impact if it was in the winter.
“For August this is very unusual.
“Effectively the trees are in full leaf so are more susceptible to strong winds.
“Building structures, trees and temporary structures such as marquees may not well be too adequate.
“Beach debris could be thrown from waves onto coastal roads, there’s a risk of dangerous tides, riptides and power cuts.
“Most travel disruption will be from (fallen) trees and branches.”
Areas within the yellow thunderstorm warning could see 15 to 25mm of rain in under an hour and 30 to 40mm in two to three hours.
Saturday will also feel “unseasonably chilly” with some areas not rising above 15C, and highs of 19 or 20C on the south coast, Mr Morgan added.
But Sunday is set to be brighter and less windy with no weather warnings in place, with temperatures up to 22C in the south.
And temperatures will start to rise next week, reaching a peak of 27C or 28C on Thursday in the south east, highs that have not been seen in the UK since June, the forecaster added.
The RAC estimates that about four million cars will be using the roads for leisure journeys across the whole weekend.
The RAC’s Rod Dennis warned: “We expect Saturday to be the worst day on the roads of the summer so far, especially for anyone in the south-west of England – and that’s a lot of people as our research shows it’s the most popular part of the country for leisure trips by car this year.
“Conditions will be atrocious with a wholly unpleasant mix of very strong winds and locally intense rainfall. The best advice is to slow down significantly to stay safe and avoid exposed moorland and coastal routes until the storm passes.
“Drivers towing caravans and trailers need to be particularly careful in these conditions and those with boxes and bikes on the roof should double-check they’re secured properly.
“Drivers should also watch out for fallen trees and be prepared for the disruption they cause.”
The weather has also forced organisers of outdoor events scheduled to take place this weekend to cancel their plans.
Eliot Walker, organiser of the annual Dorset jazz festival, Stompin’ On The Quomps, said he was “disappointed” he had to postpone this year’s event due to Storm Antoni.
The free festival in Christchurch Quay was forced to cancel its activities for the first time in its 30-year history.
Mr Walker, 44, said: “We’re really disappointed that the town can’t come together to enjoy a wonderful day listening to professional jazz and big bands by the side of the river on the picturesque quay.”
Around 10,000 people had been expected to attend on Saturday.
The decision was driven by concerns for the safety of traders and spectators although it is hoped the festival can be rearranged.