LONDON
Around 15 thousand homes in England, Wales and North Ireland suffered power outages as gales and rain returned to hit the United Kingdom, causing disruption to air, rail and road transport while flooding alerts remained in effect across the country on Friday.
Strong winds from the Atlantic Ocean reached up to 160 kilometers per hour, causing delays and cancellations in air and rail travel.
Due to uprooted trees falling onto rails, some train companies will not be running their services until tracks are cleared. As people return home after the Christmas holiday, those seeking to travel have been advised to contact rail companies beforehand.
Furthermore, strong gusts have prevented planes from landing at or taking off Ireland's Dublin Airport since Thursday night.
London's Gatwick Airport is running services as usual, warnings of disruption have been issued due to expected flooding in the area. The airport also stated that additional teams of engineers and electrical staff were working to minimize the risk of disruption from potential further flooding.
Also, the clearance of uprooted trees on roads across the UK continues as the Environment Agency warns against strong winds and heavy rain, calling people to "be prepared."
The Meteorological Office said that strong winds are expected to hit the northern parts of both England and Wales as of Monday. Winds of 120 km/h are expected across the UK.
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