Waves hit Whitehead in Northern Ireland. About 34,000 people were left without electricity on Saturday. PA
Waves hit Whitehead in Northern Ireland. About 34,000 people were left without electricity on Saturday. PA
Waves hit Whitehead in Northern Ireland. About 34,000 people were left without electricity on Saturday. PA
Waves hit Whitehead in Northern Ireland. About 34,000 people were left without electricity on Saturday. PA

Travel disruption and flood warnings continue as Storm Kathleen blows through Scotland


Matthew Davies
  • English
  • Arabic

The threat of power cuts and travel disruption has persisted in Scotland on Sunday as Storm Kathleen continues its journey across Ireland and the UK.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) has 18 regional flood alerts and 43 flood warnings in place in Scotland, which have been in place since Saturday.

The Met Office issued a new yellow wind warning, which came into force at 9am on Sunday, affecting parts of the east and northern Highlands, the Isle of Skye and the Hebrides. It will remain in force until 3pm local time.

Winds of 117kph were recorded in Drumalbin, South Lanarkshire.

The biggest impact on Sunday is expected in the Western Isles and Orkney.

"On top of already high tides, Kathleen will bring a storm surge and large waves. This combination is particularly dangerous, especially around high tides," Vincent Fitzsimons, Sepa's flood duty manager said.

"There is real danger to life from wave overtopping, particularly around causeways, coastal roads and paths.

"Disruption to travel and infrastructure is possible, as is isolated flooding to coastal properties and communities."

People take selfies on the promenade in Salthill, Galway, Ireland. Storm Kathleen continued its journey across Scotland on Sunday. PA
People take selfies on the promenade in Salthill, Galway, Ireland. Storm Kathleen continued its journey across Scotland on Sunday. PA

Scotland's ferry operator CalMac said on Sunday morning that it has cancelled all sailings on at least five different routes "in relation to strong winds".

In addition, all ferries to and from Liverpool, Heysham and Douglas on the Isle of Man have been cancelled until at least 3pm on Sunday, and ferries to and from the Isle of Wight also face some disruption.

ScotRail trains were going more slowly than usual due to the risk of high winds.

On Saturday, more than 140 flights throughout the UK were cancelled.

An Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft had to abandon its landing at Glasgow Airport twice on Saturday due to gale-force cross winds. Flight number EK27 was eventually forced to head south and land at London's Gatwick Airport.

In Ireland, about 34,000 people were left without electricity on Saturday.

While Storm Kathleen brought some blustery winds to south-east England, it also brought the warmest temperatures of the year so far.

Temperatures reached highs of 20.9ºC in Santon Downham in Suffolk on Saturday, beating this year’s previous record of 19.9ºC at Achfary in Sutherland in January.

Greece fire risk

Meanwhile, record temperatures and winds have also prompted authorities in Greece to issue wildfire warnings on Sunday.

Greece's civil protection ministry raised its wildfire alert level to "high risk", after dozens of blazes broke out.

On Saturday, "71 fires were declared in agricultural and forestry regions across the country in 12 hours", the ministry said.

Most of the fires were controlled, with the exception of one in Lasithi on the island of Crete that was still burning on Sunday, according to the local fire department.

Strong winds of up to 60kph are expected until Tuesday in several parts of Greece, "making the situation extremely dangerous for the outbreak of fires", the ministry said.

A resident looks on at the wildfire approaching the village of Avantas, northeast of Alexandroupolis, Greece, in August 2023. Getty Images
A resident looks on at the wildfire approaching the village of Avantas, northeast of Alexandroupolis, Greece, in August 2023. Getty Images

Greece recorded a record average temperature of 11.8ºC over the winter, according to the Athens Observatory, which has warned of a possible drought.

Temperatures have been unseasonably high since the start of April, reaching 31ºC last Tuesday at Chania on Crete.

Like much of the Mediterranean last summer, Greece was hit by a prolonged heatwave which triggered a number of wildfires, killing 20 people and damaging close to 175,000 hectares of land.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

THE CLOWN OF GAZA

Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah 

Starring: Alaa Meqdad

Rating: 4/5

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKinetic%207%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rick%20Parish%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Clean%20cooking%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self-funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'

Director:Michael Lehmann

Stars:Kristen Bell

Rating: 1/5

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

The BIO:

He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal

He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side

By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam

Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border

He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push

His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20JustClean%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20with%20offices%20in%20other%20GCC%20countries%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202016%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20160%2B%20with%2021%20nationalities%20in%20eight%20cities%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20online%20laundry%20and%20cleaning%20services%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2430m%20from%20Kuwait-based%20Faith%20Capital%20Holding%20and%20Gulf%20Investment%20Corporation%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
While you're here
F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

About Karol Nawrocki

• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.

• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.

• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

Company profile

Name:​ One Good Thing ​

Founders:​ Bridgett Lau and Micheal Cooke​

Based in:​ Dubai​​ 

Sector:​ e-commerce​

Size: 5​ employees

Stage: ​Looking for seed funding

Investors:​ ​Self-funded and seeking external investors

The%C2%A0specs%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4.4-litre%2C%20twin-turbo%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eeight-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E617hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E750Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh630%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

Cinco in numbers

Dh3.7 million

The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown

46

The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.

1,000

The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]

50

How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday

3,000

The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

1.1 million

The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.

Updated: April 07, 2024, 2:20 PM`