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| Army offers help as 100 mph storms hit north and west Wales | Army offers help as 100 mph storms hit north and west Wales |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Wales has been offered military help as winds of over 100 mph battered the coast. | Wales has been offered military help as winds of over 100 mph battered the coast. |
| Some 6,300 homes were left without power, trees blocked roads and schools closed and homes as the storms hit. | |
| Secretary of State David Jones spoke to First Minister Carwyn Jones after the UK government's emergency Cobra meeting and offered the Army's help. | Secretary of State David Jones spoke to First Minister Carwyn Jones after the UK government's emergency Cobra meeting and offered the Army's help. |
| A red "take action" weather warning was issued by the Met Office as exceptionally strong winds hit. | A red "take action" weather warning was issued by the Met Office as exceptionally strong winds hit. |
| A Wales Office spokesman said: "Given the weather forecast from the Met Office for the next 24 hours of strong winds in west Wales, the secretary of state spoke to the first minister this morning. | |
| "He told the first minister that, if required, he just needs to ask for military assistance. | "He told the first minister that, if required, he just needs to ask for military assistance. |
| "Obviously the kind of assistance will depend on what was needed. | "Obviously the kind of assistance will depend on what was needed. |
| "However, the secretary of state, having attended Cobra this morning, said he would work with cabinet colleagues to make resources available." | "However, the secretary of state, having attended Cobra this morning, said he would work with cabinet colleagues to make resources available." |
| In Cardiff, a man was left injured on Westgate Street after he was apparently struck on the head by a street sign blown over in the wind. | |
| And Rhydhelig Avenue, one of the main routes used to get to the University of Wales Hospital - including by ambulances - has been blocked by a fallen tree. | |
| Dyfed-Powys Police and Mid and West Wales fire service urged people to stay indoors during the high winds. | |
| A fire spokesperson said: "We're experiencing extremely high winds throughout the service area. Stay indoors and don't travel unless absolutely necessary." | |
| Pembrokeshire council has also warned people not to travel unless they had to. | |
| In Ceredigion, Aberystwyth University advised staff and students to leave the campus as soon as they could. | |
| All rail services west of Llanelli have been stopped. | All rail services west of Llanelli have been stopped. |
| But the weather warning is expected to be downgraded to a yellow "be aware" warning on Thursday. | But the weather warning is expected to be downgraded to a yellow "be aware" warning on Thursday. |
| BBC Wales weather presenter Behnaz Akhgar said: "It will be much quieter on Thursday, with a risk of icy patches first thing. It will still be breezy but much lighter winds compared with today. There will be some sunny spells with heavy showers which could have a wintry element. | BBC Wales weather presenter Behnaz Akhgar said: "It will be much quieter on Thursday, with a risk of icy patches first thing. It will still be breezy but much lighter winds compared with today. There will be some sunny spells with heavy showers which could have a wintry element. |
| "Then all eyes will be on the next area of low pressure which will bring more wind and rain with it through Friday. There will be very unwelcome rain with further risk of flooding. But the rain will clear north-eastwards on Saturday leaving a mostly dry day on Sunday." | "Then all eyes will be on the next area of low pressure which will bring more wind and rain with it through Friday. There will be very unwelcome rain with further risk of flooding. But the rain will clear north-eastwards on Saturday leaving a mostly dry day on Sunday." |
| The west and north west coast have been worst hit, and a gust of 106 mph has been recorded at Aberdaron, according to the Met Office. | |
| Ceredigion, Gwynedd, Anglesey, Pembrokeshire, Conwy, Powys areas have all been badly affected. | Ceredigion, Gwynedd, Anglesey, Pembrokeshire, Conwy, Powys areas have all been badly affected. |
| Dyfed-Powys Police and North Wales Police have been holding emergency meetings with other agencies to discuss the storm, which has been causing severe damage in parts of Wales. | Dyfed-Powys Police and North Wales Police have been holding emergency meetings with other agencies to discuss the storm, which has been causing severe damage in parts of Wales. |
| On A487 near Penycwm, Pembrokeshire, the force of the wind blew a door off a bus, but no one was injured. | On A487 near Penycwm, Pembrokeshire, the force of the wind blew a door off a bus, but no one was injured. |
| Roof panels are reported to have come off Sir Thomas Picton school sports hall in Haverfordwest while Spittal school, also in the town, has slates coming off the roof. | |
| And a school bus has been hit by a tree but no children were on board. | And a school bus has been hit by a tree but no children were on board. |
| Meanwhile in Carmarthenshire, Pembrey and Llyn Llech Owain Country Parks were closed because of a risk with falling trees. Abergwili Museum and Parc Howard Museum were also closed. | Meanwhile in Carmarthenshire, Pembrey and Llyn Llech Owain Country Parks were closed because of a risk with falling trees. Abergwili Museum and Parc Howard Museum were also closed. |
| St Fagans National History Museum on the outskirts of Cardiff was also shut for health and safety reasons due to the weather. | St Fagans National History Museum on the outskirts of Cardiff was also shut for health and safety reasons due to the weather. |
| The strong gusts caused disruption in west Wales with roads closed due to fallen trees, and more than 70 schools closed across the country. | |
| "Safeguarding is a priority," said Janet Kingston, head teacher of Greenhill School, Tenby. | "Safeguarding is a priority," said Janet Kingston, head teacher of Greenhill School, Tenby. |
| "We have checked the winds and they are around 70 mph at present, and the coastguard and the Met Office have warned us they are likely to peak at 3pm when pupils leave," she said. | |
| "Flying debris could be a danger. There is nothing spectacular but because the winds are due to get to hurricane force we have brought the departure time forward." | "Flying debris could be a danger. There is nothing spectacular but because the winds are due to get to hurricane force we have brought the departure time forward." |
| Some residents in Criccieth, Gwynedd, told BBC News the wind and rain had been relentless. | |
| Flying debris | Flying debris |
| "I've never seen anything like this before. Since Christmas, there hasn't been a day which hasn't seen strong winds or rain," said Dei Jones. | "I've never seen anything like this before. Since Christmas, there hasn't been a day which hasn't seen strong winds or rain," said Dei Jones. |
| "I do a lot of walking, and you'd have to be at 3,000ft to get weather like this. It does seem endless." | "I do a lot of walking, and you'd have to be at 3,000ft to get weather like this. It does seem endless." |
| His wife, Cheryl, called the conditions "hellish". | His wife, Cheryl, called the conditions "hellish". |
| "It's the same feeling I had on the top on Ben Lawers in Scotland in a gale," she said. | "It's the same feeling I had on the top on Ben Lawers in Scotland in a gale," she said. |
| The strong winds have also been battering the Aberystwyth coast. | The strong winds have also been battering the Aberystwyth coast. |
| "Winds are incredibly strong up here and the rain is battering down," said BBC Wales' Charlotte Dubenskij who is in Llandre in Ceredigion, west Wales. | "Winds are incredibly strong up here and the rain is battering down," said BBC Wales' Charlotte Dubenskij who is in Llandre in Ceredigion, west Wales. |
| The severe weather has caused severe disruption on the roads, with the Cleddau Bridge in Pembrokeshire and the M48 Severn Bridge being closed to all vehicles. | The severe weather has caused severe disruption on the roads, with the Cleddau Bridge in Pembrokeshire and the M48 Severn Bridge being closed to all vehicles. |
| The M4 is closed at the Briton Ferry Bridge between junctions 41 and 42 for Baglan and Fabian Way because of strong winds, while one lane on the M4 westbound between junctions 47 and 48 has been closed by a fallen tree. | |
| As well as road chaos, ferry services from west Wales are cancelled and there is a revised timetable for train services due to flooding. | As well as road chaos, ferry services from west Wales are cancelled and there is a revised timetable for train services due to flooding. |
| Arriva Trains Wales passengers have been told to check before they travel as all services are facing delays. | |
| Meanwhile, a flood warning from Natural Resources Wales covers the Lower Dee Valley from Llangollen to Trevalyn Meadows. | Meanwhile, a flood warning from Natural Resources Wales covers the Lower Dee Valley from Llangollen to Trevalyn Meadows. |