Strong winds set to ease following disruption to coastal areas
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Strong winds which battered parts of the UK are expected to ease on Saturday following disruption to coastal areas and warnings from emergency services.
Gusts of up to 70mph buffeted parts of the south-west of England and Wales on Friday, causing the RNLI and HM Coastguard to urge members of the public to be cautious in coastal areas.
South Wales Police said a 15-year-old girl died following an incident in a river in east Cardiff on Friday evening.
Emergency services, including a police helicopter, responded to reports of a girl in the river in Ball Lane, Llanrumney, at around 5.20pm.
“At about 6.40pm a 15-year-old girl was located and despite the best efforts of emergency services she sadly passed away,” the force said.
Some 10 flood warnings remained in places across parts of the UK on Friday night, meaning flooding is expected, while the Environment Agency issued a further 24 flood alerts for swathes of the south-west.
A yellow wind warning issued by the Met Office expired on Friday evening, with no further warnings expected over the weekend, according to forecaster Matthew Box.
“It’s still going to be breezy and blustery tomorrow, but winds will not be as strong as they have been today,” he said.
Heavy showers could hit parts of central England with the potential for thunder on Saturday, while southern parts of the country are expected to see sunny spells.
Further north it is a “mixed bag” weather-wise, Mr Box said, with some cloudy but also sunny spells towards the east.
The strongest gust recorded on Friday was 71mph at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, while Mumbles Head in Swansea saw winds of up to 68mph.
HM Coastguard urged members of the public to keep their distance from the waves, while the RNLI advised visiting lifeguarded beaches whenever possible and to avoid storm watching if swells become high.
“The combination of winds, tides and swells is going to make for dangerous conditions that could put you into difficulty very quickly,” a tweet by the RNLI said.
Devon and Cornwall Police said a man, who was in his 50s and from the London area, was pulled from the water near Helston on Thursday afternoon but was confirmed dead shortly afterwards.
A teenage boy, who is related to the man, is in a stable condition in hospital in Truro following the incident at Church Cove in Gunwalloe, the force added.
