Dramatic pictures show path of destruction left by Storm Isha

Thousands of homes are without power and there is widespread transport disruption after Storm Isha hit the UK.

An entire greenhouse was blown onto train tracks by Storm Isha last night.  Release date – January 22, 2023.  See SWNS story SWLSisha.  With gusts of up to 80 mph, the storm battered Britain, closing roads, railways and ferries.  Just after midnight, Southeastern Railway posted this picture of a greenhouse blocking the tracks at Westgate-on-Sea, near Ramsgate in Kent.
A greenhouse was blown on to the train tracks at Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, by Storm Isha. (SWNS)

Huge travel disruption is expected and thousands of homes are without power after the UK was hit by Storm Isha.

The whole country was battered by high winds and heavy rain from Sunday evening into Monday morning, with gusts reaching more than 100mph.

The Met Office said that Isha has now passed but a yellow warning for wind remains in place across all of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales until midday on Monday, while further warnings have been issued for Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Images from the aftermath of the storm showed trees on top of cars, fallen debris and large queues at train stations and airports.

In Scotland, an 84-year-old man has died after the Hyundai car in which he was a passenger collided with a tree on the A905 Beancross Road in Grangemouth at about 11.45pm on Sunday.

Part of the roof of a Gulf petrol station was torn off overnight by high winds in Derby, Derbyshire. January 22, 2024.  Storm Isha battered the UK with 99mph winds, leaving tens of thousands without power.  A yellow warning for wind is in place for the entire UK until midday.
Part of the roof of a petrol station in Derby, Derbyshire, was blown off by Storm Isha. (SWNS)

Police said he was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other occupants of the vehicle were not injured.

Transport Scotland said a gust of 107mph was recorded on the Tay Bridge.

In Co Antrim in Northern Ireland, three trees that make up the Dark Hedges site, made famous for its appearance in the TV show Game Of Thrones, were felled.

Workmen continue their clear up as a number of trees in Northern Ireland made famous by the TV series Game Of Thrones have been damaged and felled by Storm Isha. Work is being carried out to clear up at the Dark Hedges site in Co Antrim. Picture date: Monday January 22, 2024. PA Photo. The tunnel of trees became famous when it was featured in the HBO fantasy series and now attracts significant numbers of tourists from around the world.  See PA story WEATHER Isha DarkHedges. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
A number of trees at the Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland, made famous by the TV series Game Of Thrones, have been damaged and felled by Storm Isha. (PA)
Workmen continue their clear up as a number of trees in Northern Ireland made famous by the TV series Game Of Thrones have been damaged and felled by Storm Isha. Work is being carried out to clear up at the Dark Hedges site in Co Antrim. Picture date: Monday January 22, 2024. PA Photo. The tunnel of trees became famous when it was featured in the HBO fantasy series and now attracts significant numbers of tourists from around the world.  See PA story WEATHER Isha DarkHedges. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
A workman cuts up trees along the Dark Hedges in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, after Storm Isha. (PA)

Mervyn Storey, chairman of the Dark Hedges Preservation Trust, said: “It looks like there are three trees down.

“We have had people out since dawn trying to clear the road. There are a number of other trees down in the area as well."

There were 45,000 people in Northern Ireland left without power, many of them overnight, while travellers have been stuck in airports for up to 10 hours after flights from Belfast were cancelled.

Fallen tree on four cars in Linlithgow during Storm Isha. As much of the country is covered by Amber Wind Warning.  January 22 2024. Winds up to 100 mph tore through the UK overnight causing widespread damage.
A fallen tree on four cars in Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland, after Storm Isha. (SWNS)
Waves break on the sea front in Blackpool. Thousands of people have been left without power as Storm Isha brought disruption to the electricity and transport networks across the UK. Picture date: Monday January 22, 2024. (Photo by Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images)
Waves break on the sea front in Blackpool on Monday. (PA)
Waves break on the sea front in Blackpool. Thousands of people have been left without power as Storm Isha brought disruption to the electricity and transport networks across the UK. Picture date: Monday January 22, 2024. (Photo by Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images)
Waves break on the sea front in Blackpool after Storm Isha struck. (PA)
A car stranded in flood water in Warwick bridge in Cumbria. Thousands of people have been left without power as Storm Isha brought disruption to the electricity and transport networks across the UK. Picture date: Monday January 22, 2024. (Photo by Owen Humphreys/PA Images via Getty Images)
A car stranded in flood water in Warwick bridge in Cumbria after Storm Isha. (PA)
A car stranded in flood water in Warwick bridge in Cumbria. Thousands of people have been left without power as Storm Isha brought disruption to the electricity and transport networks across the UK. Picture date: Monday January 22, 2024. (Photo by Owen Humphreys/PA Images via Getty Images)
A car stranded in flood water in Warwick bridge in Cumbria. (PA)
CARLISLE, UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 22: A lorry is recovered from the M6 motorway southbound near the village of Southwaite on January 22, 2024 in Carlisle, United Kindom. Much of the UK was battered overnight by Storm Isha and its high winds, which in some places reached 99mph. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
A lorry is recovered from the M6 motorway southbound near the village of Southwaite, Cumbria, after being blown off the road by Storm Isha. (PA)
A wind damaged bin shelter in Muirhouse, Edinburgh after storm Isha blew through the area overnight. Picture date: Monday January 22, 2024. (Photo by Lauren Gilmour/PA Images via Getty Images)
A wind damaged bin shelter in Muirhouse, Edinburgh after Storm Isha. (PA)
A car driving through flood water in Warwick bridge in Cumbria. Thousands of people have been left without power as Storm Isha brought disruption to the electricity and transport networks across the UK. Picture date: Monday January 22, 2024.
A car driving through flood water in Warwick bridge in Cumbria. (PA)
white water at the Falls of Dochart in Killin, Stirling after storm Isha blew through the area overnight. Picture date: Monday January 22, 2024.
White water at the Falls of Dochart in Killin, Stirling, after Storm Isha blew through the area overnight. (PA)

Electricity North West said almost 8,000 homes had lost power in the area it covers in England, with expected restoration times pushed back to 5pm on Tuesday.

Fallen trees have affected transport, with Traffic Scotland reporting stretches of the M9 and M74 were among roads closed throughout the night, while the A1 southbound was closed at Thorntonloch due to an overturned lorry.

A huge tree has come down on Gristhrope Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham and phone lines in the area are down during Storm Isha.  January 21, 2023.  An amber warning for wind is now in force across much of the UK, as the Met Office warns of disruption from Storm Isha.
The tree blown down on Gristhrope Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham, was uprooted by Storm Isha. (SWNS)

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High winds forced the closure of the Tay Road Bridge, M48 Severn Bridge and the A66 in Durham and Cumbria between the A1(M) and the M6, while the Humber Bridge, A19 Tees Flyover and A628 Woodhead Pass in Derbyshire were among stretches closed to high-sided vehicles.

ScotRail services have been suspended since 7pm on Sunday and are not expected to resume until around noon on Monday as dozens of lines are closed due to fallen trees and flooding.

An entire greenhouse was blown on to the train tracks at Westgate-on-Sea, near Ramsgate, Kent.

Southeastern Railway said: "This is the greenhouse that is currently blocking the line at Westgate-on-Sea.

A tree branch fallen on Notting Hill road in south Belfast during Storm Isha. A Status Red wind warning has been issued for counties Donegal, Galway and Mayo as authorities warn people to take care ahead of Storm Isha's arrival. Picture date: Sunday January 21, 2024.
A tree felled by Storm Isha on Notting Hill Road in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (PA)

"If you live near the railway, please do check that items in your garden are as secure as possible in stormy weather."

A Network Rail spokesman said: “Hundreds of engineers are already out, armed with chainsaws and cherry pickers to remove and repair.

“Once done, route-proving trains will be dispatched before passenger services can restart.

A tree branch fallen on a car on Lisburn Road in Belfast during Storm Isha. A Status Red wind warning has been issued for counties Donegal, Galway and Mayo as authorities warn people to take care ahead of Storm Isha's arrival. Picture date: Sunday January 21, 2024.
A tree landed on a car on the Lisburn Road in Belfast during Storm Isha. (PA)
A tree branch fallen on a car on Lisburn Road in Belfast during Storm Isha. A Status Red wind warning has been issued for counties Donegal, Galway and Mayo as authorities warn people to take care ahead of Storm Isha's arrival. Picture date: Sunday January 21, 2024.
This car was hit by a fallen tree on the Lisburn Road in Belfast during Storm Isha. (PA)
Emergency services at the scene where scaffolding has been dislodged in Belfast City centre during Storm Isha. A Status Red wind warning has been issued for counties Donegal, Galway and Mayo as authorities warn people to take care ahead of Storm Isha's arrival. Picture date: Sunday January 21, 2024.
Scaffolding was dislodged from a building in Belfast city centre during Storm Isha. (PA)

“It’s been a wild night, but passengers and railway staff have been kept safe and we will work tirelessly to get the railway back on its feet as quickly as we can.”

Network Rail said the remains of a garden shed were blown on to the line at Bellgrove station in Glasgow and a small fire broke out after a tree fell on overhead wires in Gartcosh, Cumbernauld.

East Midlands Railway has said delays and alterations to its services are “likely”, while no LNER trains will run north of Newcastle until noon.

Meanwhile, air traffic control restrictions are in place, leading to flight cancellations and causing some planes to divert.

National Air Traffic Services told PA: “Due to adverse weather conditions across the UK, temporary air traffic restrictions are in place. Restrictions of this sort are only ever applied to maintain safety.

“Our teams are working closely with airports and airlines to minimise disruption. Passengers should check the status of their flight with their airline.”

Someone was struck by falling debris after scaffolding became dislodged in Belfast. They were treated at the scene by emergency services.

The Met Office said its highest recorded wind speed during Storm Isha was 99mph at Brizlee Wood in Northumberland, with gusts of 90mph at Capel Curig in Snowdonia on Sunday.