Storm Bert causes power outages, disrupts travel in UK and Ireland

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LONDON/DUBLIN (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of homes, farms and businesses in Ireland suffered power outages due to Storm Bert on Saturday, while some rail lines and roads were closed in Britain due to what forecasters called a “multi-hazard event”.

Yellow and amber weather warnings for wind, rain, snow and ice were also in place for most of the United Kingdom, according to a Met Office weather forecast.

Pictures and videos on social media showed snow covering roads in some parts of the UK, while floodwater could be seen rising towards the top of parked cars in the Donegal town of Killybegs in neighbouring Ireland.

“As we go through the first part of Saturday morning, it (the storm) will start to show its hand across Scotland, north Wales and northern England, with the potential for some heavy snowfall, especially over higher ground,” Met Office Chief Meteorologist Jason Kelly said in the forecast.

“Storm Bert is what we call a ‘multi-hazard event’, bringing snow, rain and wind to the UK for the majority of the weekend.”

The Irish Meteorological Service placed a “status red” rain warning – its highest level – for the populous counties of Cork and Galway overnight. The heavy rain led to flooding in parts of the west coast of Ireland, making some roads impassable.

Some train services, such as the Inverness-Elgin and Aberdeen-Inverurie routes – both popular with tourists in Scotland – have been suspended due to the weather, ScotRail said on social media platform X.

In Ireland, ESB Networks said high winds due to the storm had led to power outages impacting on 60,000 homes, farms and businesses overnight, predominantly in the west and northwest of the country.

“ESB Networks crews and contractors are deployed and (are) restoring power in impacted areas where it is safe to do so,” it said in an update on its website, cautioning of further power outages over the weekend.