LONDON (Reuters) – At least two people died and tens of thousands were left without power as Storm Arwen brought strong winds across many parts of the United Kingdom, with gusts of up to 100 miles per hour (160 kph).
One man died in Northern Ireland’s County Antrim when his car was struck by a falling tree, police said in a statement. Local media reported the man was the principal of a primary school.
Another man was killed in Cumbria in the northwest of England when he was hit by a falling tree, police said.
Gusts of 98 mph hit Brizlee Wood in Northumberland, northeastern England, according to the Met Office, which said yellow warnings remained in place on Saturday across much of the country.
“Many roads remain closed so please only travel if absolutely necessary,” it said on Twitter.
More than 100,000 customers were without power, Northern Powergrid, which delivers electricity to properties in the North East of England and Yorkshire, said on Saturday morning.
Engineers were also working to restore supplies in Scotland and southern England.
The snow and fallen trees caused road blockages across northern England and Scotland, forcing many drivers to sleep in their vehicles overnight, according to traffic police and social media.
Around 120 lorries were “stuck in the snow” on one section of motorway between Manchester and Leeds in northern England, police said, tweeting pictures of the road blanketed in white before snow ploughs could be deployed.
While the winds had eased by Saturday morning, the Met Office warned conditions would remain challenging because of ice and snow, and the public was urged to avoid non-essential travel.