LONDON (AP) – Hundreds of thousands of people in Britain and Ireland were left without power and millions were warned to stay indoors Saturday as high winds and heavy rain battered the region.
Wind gusts of 93 miles per hour were recorded early Saturday as authorities issued an unusual emergency telephone warning to around 3 million homes in Wales and south-west England.
The official alert, accompanied by a loud siren-like sound warning people to stay indoors, was sent to all compatible mobile phones in areas affected by Storm Dollar.
On Friday, Britain's weather forecaster, the Met Office, issued the most severe type of weather warning. Thousands of homes were left without power overnight, including in Northern Ireland, Wales and the west of England.
Due to the strong winds, major expressways and bridges across the country were closed, and multiple railroads were suspended.
Around 400,000 homes, farms and businesses in Ireland lost power as a result of the storm. Some flights were canceled at Dublin Airport.
