UK warns people to stay home as it prepares for 90 mph winds
February 18, 2022, 4:31 pm

UK warns people to stay home as it prepares for 90 mph winds

Wind storm (File photo: Pixabay)

The Asharq Al-Awsat reported, millions of Britons were urged to cancel travel plans and stay indoors Friday amid fears of high winds and flying debris as the second major storm this week prompted a rare “red” weather warning across southern England.

The U.K.'s weather forecasting office said, storm Eunice is likely to cause significant disruption and dangerous conditions, with gusts that may exceed 90 miles per hour in highly exposed coastal areas.

The Met Office issued "red’’ warnings - indicating a danger to life - for parts of southwest England between 7 a.m. and noon and for southeast England and London from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

A lower level amber warning for gusts up to 80 mph covers the whole of England from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

“After the impacts from Storm Dudley for many on Wednesday, Storm Eunice will bring damaging gusts in what could be one of the most impactful storms to affect southern and central parts of the UK for a few years,” Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen said. “The red warning areas indicate a significant danger to life as extremely strong winds provide the potential for damage to structures and flying debris.”

The government is set to hold a meeting of its COBRA emergency committee meeting to discuss the storm later Friday.

UK London-Winter season (File photo: Pixabay)

The Environment Agency has issued 10 severe flood warnings, another indicator of life-threatening weather conditions.

A number of tourist attractions in England, including the London Eye, Legoland and Warwick Castle are temporarily closing.

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Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “I urge all Londoners to stay at home, do not take risks, and do not travel unless it is absolutely essential.”

Train operators across Britain also urged passengers to avoid traveling on Friday.

British Airways warned of delays at London’s Heathrow Airport because the wind has reduced the rate at which aircraft are permitted to land.

The airline said: “High winds and poor weather may cause last-minute delays, but we will do everything in our power to minimize any disruption that results."

The government highway agency said high-sided vehicles and other “vulnerable” vehicles such as caravans and motorbikes could be blown over so should avoid bridges and viaducts.

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Jeremy Phillips, head of road safety for the National Highways agency, said that anyone traveling should “plan your trip and take extra care, allowing more time for your journey."

He added: “In the event of persistent high winds, we may need to close bridges to traffic for a period, so please be alert for warnings of closures and follow signed diversion routes."

Source: aawsat

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”