Storm Eunice puts the UK and Ireland on red-alert
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Storm Eunice, the region's most life-threatening storm in over 30 years, has caused red alerts as millions are ordered to remain safe at home.
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Waves crash against the harbor wall during storm Eunice in Porthcawl, Wales. (Getty Images)
The looming Storm Eunice has raised red alerts in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Friday, as the government advises millions to stay at home, especially in densely populated areas like London.
Eunice, a life-threatening event that is deemed the worst storm to hit populations in three decades, was closing in on Northwestern Europe while the region was still recovering from other storms which engulfed it earlier this week.
Axios' Andrew Freedman said there's a "distinct threat from this developing bomb cyclone of a "sting jet," or small area of extremely intense wind that can form inside certain storms, hitting South West England with winds up to 100 mph Friday morning."
When it came to the threat level, the British Army was asked to be on standby, according to the BBC. The Met Office chief meteorologist, Frank Saunders, said in a statement that the storm will bring "damaging gusts" to the southern and central parts of the country.
Millions were asked to stay home while hundreds of schools closed down on Friday.
"The red warning area indicates a significant danger to life as extremely strong winds provide the potential for damage to structures and flying debris," Saunders said.
South West England and South Wales are most at risk from the storm. On Wednesday, the two regions recorded winds exceeding 80 mph from Storm Dudley that thrashed Northern England, southern Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The Cork and Kerry regions in Ireland also saw red alerts as nationwide power outages blacked out the country, in addition to a wind speed of 80 mph reported in other regions, according to Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTE).
This week, aggressive storms have affected the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, killing 5 people and creating power outages, in addition to travel turbulence.
