Parts of southern Britain have been lashed by heavy rain and
winds of up to 96mph after Storm Imogen swept in.
The bad weather is moving eastwards, with the strongest gust
so far recorded at The Needles off the Isle of Wight.
More than 5,000 homes are without power in south-west
England, south and mid-Wales and the Midlands.
Rail services are disrupted, some cross-Channel ferries are
cancelled and drivers are urged to take extra care, especially on the M4 and M5
motorways.
The Met Office has issued an amber "be prepared"
wind warning for Wales, south-west England, London and south-east England and
says coastal areas could see giant waves and localised flooding.
Gusts in south-west England may reach 80mph, with high winds
sweeping across the Bristol Channel area to Cardiff and Bristol.
Gusts of 73mph and 69mph have been recorded in Avonmouth
near Bristol and in the Isle of Portland in Dorset respectively.
The sea state could reach "phenomenal" - the
highest level on the World Meteorological Scale - at times around western
coasts, with waves of more than 14m (46ft) possible.
Latest live updates from south-west England as Storm Imogen
hits
There are nearly 60 flood warnings in place in England and
Wales - meaning flooding is expected - and more than 200 flood alerts - meaning
flooding is possible.
Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said: "People should
be prepared for disruption to travel on roads, rail, bridges and ferries and we
could see possible damage to structures and downed trees risk affecting power.
"The wind will be combined with some hefty showers with
some thunder along the south coast."
Problems so far include:
Western Power Distribution says more than 2,800 homes are
without power in the South West, more than 1,100 in Wales and more than 1,000
in the Midlands
Ferry services from operators including P&O and Brittany
are cancelled or delayed
The M48 Severn Bridge has been closed in both directions to
high-sided vehicles because of high winds, although the M4 Second Severn
Crossing remains open
South West Trains says its services will run at a reduced
speed between 11:00 and 15:00 GMT, adding up to 30 minutes to some journeys.
Routes affected include those between Southampton and Weymouth and Portsmouth
and London
Gatwick Express services are suspended due to bad weather,
and Gatwick itself is also warning passengers their flights could be delayed
Arriva Trains Wales services between Machynlleth and
Aberystwyth and Pwllheli are suspended due to flooding, with speed restrictions
in place elsewhere on the network
Southern Railway and Great Western Railway have also imposed
speed restrictions, and services may be delayed or revised throughout much of
Monday
A stretch of the A35 bypass at Dorchester has been closed by
flooding
The Emirates Air Line cable car across the River Thames is
suspended due to high winds
Gary Webb, of Highways England, said: "We would
encourage drivers, especially those driving high-sided vehicles, motorcycles or
considering a trip with a caravan, to consider driving conditions before
setting off as they could be difficult.
"If you do have to make a journey by road be prepared,
plan your journey in advance and check the latest weather conditions along your
route.
"Be aware of sudden gusts of wind, and give high-sided
vehicles, caravans, and motorbikes plenty of space. In the event of persistent
high winds we may need to close bridges to traffic for a period, so please be
alert for warnings of closures and follow signed diversion routes.
This could affect the Severn crossings and structures as far
east as the QEII Bridge at Dartford, Highways England said.
Forecasters said winds would gradually ease through the
afternoon and evening.
Live flood warnings from the Environment Agency and the
Scottish Environment Protection Agency
Note: the Scottish Environment Protection Agency display
their flood alert data differently to the Environment Agency and Natural
Resources Wales. While the Environment Agency and Natural Resources
Wales
highlights individual rivers only, in Scotland the entire region is colored to
indicate the level of alert.
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