Anger at 'really loud' Storm Eowyn phone alerts that terrified pets, sparked panic and repeated until the early hours
Britons have reacted angrily after receiving 'terrifying' loud emergency phone alerts ahead of Storm Eowyn hitting the British Isles today.
Some 4.5 million people received emergency alerts on their phones in Scotland and Northern Ireland warning of the incoming storm in the 'largest real life use of the tool to date' on Thursday.
The Cabinet Office alert at around 6pm in response to Storm Eowyn left pets frightened, sparked panic and repeated loudly into the early hours of the morning, recipients said.
It meant compatible mobile phones made a loud siren-like sound and was sent to 22 council areas in Scotland.
It was also sent to phones in Northern Ireland, which along with Scotland is currently under a rare red 'danger to life' warning for wind speeds of up to 100mph.
The highest wind speed so far has been recorded in Northern Ireland at some 114mph.
Many residents in the affected areas complained of extreme noise which accompanied the alerts, with some stating they feared a heart attack.
One person commented on X, formerly Twitter: 'Still clinging to the ceiling light after switching on my phone to an emergency alert that near deafened me.
Some 4.5million people received this emergency alert on their phone, accompanied by a loud siren noise
A road is blocked by a fallen tree during Storm Eowyn in Rathangan, Ireland, on Friday
Walkers struggle against the wind on a beach at Tynemouth Longsands on the North East coast of England
'Seems a bit like overkill when they give everyone a heart attack with their alerts. (Does anyone have a ladder, btw?)'
A second person added: 'Well that extreme alert thing on the phone scared the s***e out of me in the car. Personal phone and work one at the same time. Two dogs going mental.'
A third said: 'Least the wind won't kill me, I've just died of a heart attack after that alert on my phone.'
Others complained of receiving repeated alerts throughout the night and into this morning, with some saying they had next to no sleep as a result.
X users reported receiving alerts at 2am, 4am and 6.10am this morning in addition to the scheduled alert at 6pm yesterday.
One person said: 'Why did another f***ing storm alert come through full toot on my phone at 02:30 which was absolutely terrifying?'
Another wrote: 'Is anyone else in Scotland keep getting the red alert for the weather, I have had three in less than 45mins, it's f***ing 1.53am.'
A third said: 'Why the f*** have the Scottish government decided it would be a wise idea to send another alert through to my phone at four in the morning, genuinely thought something major was happening.'
Commuters in London struggle with their umbrellas and coats amid strong winds this morning
Waves break against the sea wall in Carnlough on the north east coast of Northern Ireland early on Friday
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: 'The Met Office has issued a red warning for wind on Friday January 24, meaning there is a danger to life across Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland.
'In light of the deteriorating weather conditions and associated disruption, and in consultation with the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive, the Cabinet Office will issue emergency alerts early this evening to people affected by the warnings in Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland.
'The emergency alert system will send a message to every compatible mobile phone in the areas at most risk, containing information about the weather warnings and guidance on how to stay safe.'
Those who received the alert heard a siren and were sent a message warning of a possible 'danger to life', damage to infrastructure and power cuts and urging people to 'consider gathering torches, batteries' and a mobile phone power pack in preparation.
Storm Éowyn is predicted to batter the Central Belt, the West and South-West of Scotland between 10am and 5pm, and many employers have instructed staff to stay at home.
Wind speeds of between 80mph and 90mph are expected, with the most exposed areas forecast to be hit by 100mph gusts.
The alerts sparked panic among some Britons, with some joking online they feared the 'Russians were coming' or that a nuclear attack was imminent due to the extreme volume of the siren sound effect.
Others described the siren sound as an 'Armageddon' or 'purge' alert.
As the storm arrives, millions of people have been urged to stay at home as 100mph winds pose a danger to life and cause travel disruption across the UK.
People across Scotland and Northern Ireland were warned of a 'danger to life' and told to avoid all unnecessary travel
All trains at Edinburgh's Waverley Station were cancelled by Thursday evening ahead of the storm
Rail services, flights and ferries have been axed, with rare red weather warnings in place on Friday in Scotland and Northern Ireland as Storm Eowyn batters the country.
The storm is likely to damage buildings, uproot trees and cause power cuts, according to the Met Office alerts.
Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill has urged people to stay at home, adding 'we are in the eye of the storm now', in an interview with BBC Radio Ulster.
As of Friday morning, more than 93,000 homes and businesses were left without power in Northern Ireland as the storm caused 'widespread damage' to electricity networks, according to NIE Networks.
Some 715,000 homes, farms and businesses are without power across the Republic of Ireland after Storm Eowyn caused 'unprecedented' damage to electricity infrastructure, the Irish Electricity Supply Board (ESB) said.
Hundreds of schools and nurseries across Scotland will be closed on Friday as First Minister John Swinney warned residents not to travel.
Train operator ScotRail has suspended all services across Scotland on Friday, saying it 'would not be safe to operate passenger services', with Calmac and Western ferry services also cancelled because of weather conditions.
Other services impacted by the storm include Avanti West Coast, LNER, West Midlands Railway, Lumo, Transport for Wales and Southern Western Railway.
Air travel has also been disrupted, with at least 334 flights axed across airports in Aberdeen, Belfast, Edinburgh and Glasgow, affecting around 50,000 passengers, according to analysis by the PA news agency of flight tracking website FlightRadar24.
Motorists in areas covered by red and amber weather warnings have been told to avoid travel 'unless absolutely essential'.
National Highways said the A66 between the A1M in North Yorkshire and M6 in Cumbria, as well as the A628 Woodhead Pass in Derbyshire and South Yorkshire, were both closed overnight due to strong winds.
A plane lands in strong winds at London Heathrow Airport as Storm Eowyn hits Britain
Passengers at Edinburgh Airport today, where 74 departures and 72 arrivals have been axed
A fallen tree across the North Road in east Belfast this morning as Storm Eowyn strikes
The M62 Ouse Bridge in East Yorkshire has also been closed to high-sided vehicles.
On Friday morning, a record-breaking wind speed of 183kmh (114 mph) was measured in Mace Head, Co Galway in Ireland, Met Eireann said.
The previous highest wind speed on record was 182kmh (113mph) set in January 1945 in Foynes, Co Limerick, according to the weather service.
In Wales, winds reached a top speed of 93mph in the Welsh village of Aberdaron, Gwynedd, on Friday morning, the Met Office said.
Red warnings are in place in Northern Ireland from 7am until 2pm on Friday, and for western and central areas of Scotland between 10am and 5pm, with speeds of up to 100mph likely along coasts, the forecaster said.
Amber wind warnings are also in place for Northern Ireland, the southern half of Scotland, northern England and north Wales between 6am and 9pm on Friday, and the northern half of Scotland from 1pm on Friday to 6am on Saturday.
Winds reaching 60 to 70mph will be widespread in these areas, with up to 90mph possible on coastal areas.
A further yellow wind warning covers the rest of UK for all of Friday.
Yellow warnings for snow are in place in Scotland, from 6am to midnight, and rain in south-west England and Wales until 9am.
