Hundreds of thousands in Ireland and UK left without power as Storm Darragh batters the region

LONDON (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of people in Britain and Ireland were left without power and millions were warned to stay indoors Saturday as high winds and heavy rain battered the region.

Gusts of up to 93 miles per hour were recorded as officials sent a rare emergency alert by phone to about 3 million households in Wales and southwest England early Saturday.

The official alert, which came with a loud siren-like sound, warned people to stay indoors and was sent to every compatible mobile phone in the areas impacted by Storm Darragh.

On Friday the U.K.’s weather forecasters, the Met Office, issued a red weather warning — the most serious type. Thousands of homes, many in Northern Ireland, Wales and western England, were left without power overnight.

Major highways and bridges across the country were closed because of strong winds, and multiple train services were suspended.

In Ireland, almost 400,000 homes, farms or businesses were without power as a result of the storm. Some flights at Dublin Airport were cancelled.