Storm Austen: Strong winds and heavy rain batter southern UK
Storm Austen has caused significant disruption across southern England and Wales, leaving thousands without power and damaging infrastructure. Further severe weather is expected as a second storm, Boelo, approaches.
Why it matters
The storm highlights the vulnerability of regional infrastructure to extreme weather events, which are becoming a recurring concern for the UK.
Figure caption, Watch: 15,000 homes without power as Storm Austen batters Britain
More than 10,000 homes are without power as Storm Austen continues to batter southern England and Wales, with more bad weather expected this weekend.
The first named storm of the season brought gusts of up to 84mph (135km/h) to Jersey, while in southern England the wild weather disrupted travel with fallen trees blocking railway lines and roads.
In Brighton, part of the iconic West Pier - an abandoned structure that first opened in 1866 - collapsed into the sea.
On Saturday, Storm Boelo is forecast to bring more strong winds and heavy rain. The Met Office has put in place an amber warning for wind from 21:00 BST on Saturday to 21:00 BST on Sunday to cover parts of Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland.
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