Storm Isha: Flood alerts across Wales as 90mph winds hit

Getty Images Large waves hit the sea wall at Porthcawl, Bridgend county, as Storm Isha lashed the countryGetty Images
Large waves hit the sea wall at Porthcawl, Bridgend county, as Storm Isha lashed the country

There are flood alerts across Wales after Storm Isha arrived on Sunday, leaving hundreds of homes without power.

A gust of 90mph (144km/h) was recorded on Capel Curig, in Eryri, also known as Snowdonia, with 89mph (143km/h) recorded at Aberdaron, Gwynedd.

A yellow wind warning covering the whole of the UK was in place until midday on Monday.

An amber wind warning, which covered all of Wales, has now been lifted.

SP Energy Networks said 19,500 homes in north and mid Wales had lost power since the start of the storm, with supply restored to all but 200 by Monday evening.

About 200 homes in south Wales were also without power on Monday morning, according to the National Grid.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) issued a number of flood alerts across Wales.

Speaking to Radio Wales Breakfast, NRW's Dylan Williams said: "What we would urge people to do is keep vigilant and look at our website for updates. "A lot of this happened through the night, so today we will be assessing the damage."

Ani-Caul Llanberis, GwyneddAni-Caul
A stream overflows at Llanberis in Gwynedd

Fire services were called to multiple incidents overnight, with isolated flooding in Ystrad Mynach and Blackwood in Caerphilly.

There were also reports of people caught in floodwater at Capel Curig and Betws y Coed in Gwynedd.

The coastguard asked people to take care by the coast.

"Keep away from cliffs, watch out for tidal surges, and steer clear of big waves," it said.

'Pretty hair-raising'

There has been widespread travel disruption, with numerous road closures and flight cancellations.

BBC presenter Jennifer Jones described a "hair-raising" experience when a plane she was travelling on from Geneva attempted to land at Bristol Airport on Sunday evening.

"It was incredibly turbulent and the plane was lurching from side to side and it was pretty harrowing, I have to say," she told Radio Wales Breakfast.

Ms Jones described how she "burst into tears" when the plane eventually landed in Edinburgh after the Bristol landing was aborted.

"When we landed, everyone on board just burst into applause and my friends and I just burst into tears. It sounds dramatic but I was thinking of my husband and my children. It was pretty hair-raising."

Ani-Caul Flooding in Capel CurigAni-Caul
Flooding in Capel Curig on Sunday

The Met office said the disruption would continue throughout Monday morning.

"Some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs, could happen," the forecaster said.

"Injuries and danger to life from flying debris are possible.

"Power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage.

"Injuries and danger to life could occur from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties."

Storm Isha is the ninth named storm to hit the UK since the season began in September.

Each storm is named when it poses a risk to people and they are given names beginning with consecutive letters of the alphabet.

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