Tens of thousands of Britons were left without power tonight as Storm Dara battered Britain, as in 1:00 a.m. after midnight local time (03:00 Bulgarian time), the rarely introduced code red in the United Kingdom came into force - meaning "danger to life", reported PA Media and DPA, quoted by BTA.
Trains have also been cancelled, the agencies added. The "Prince of Wales" bridges are closed. and over the River Severn, as well as the M4 and M48 motorways that connect South West England with Wales.
The Government has warned millions of citizens in South West England, Wales and Northern Ireland to stay "at home if they can", as it is advised that no vehicles are on the road.
According to the data of the office responsible for the national energy transmission network, at 5:00 a.m. this morning local time (7:00 a.m. Bulgarian) more than 12,600 households in South-West England and the Midlands have been left without electricity, and in Wales it is a matter of more than 20,000 homes.
The Northern Ireland Energy website said it was not known how long it would take to restore the power grid there.