One man died after being struck by a falling tree in a park in Retford, Nottinghamshire while a lorry driver was killed when his HGV fell on to a number of cars in West Lothian, Scotland.
The devastating storm, which has seen winds of over 140mph hit the UK, has also led to the rapid evacuation of thousands of families living on the east coast.
Over 10,000 homes in Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk have been evacuated as officials fight to limit the damage from the worst coastal tidal surge since the floods of 1953.
The storms have also wreaked havoc with Britain’s transport network with dozens of flights and trains cancelled.
Kings’ Park in Nottinghamshire was closed after a man who was riding his mobility scooter through the park was killed by a falling tree at about 1.50pm.
The other known casualty of the storm so far was a lorry driver who died after his HGV overturned and collided with a number of other vehicles on the A801 at around 8.10am.
Police Scotland is appealing for witnesses after the fatal collision and have advised motorists, especially those driving high-sided vehicles, not to travel and to delay any journeys until conditions improve.
Forecasters fear the worst is yet to come during tonight’s high tide at about 10pm after some of the strongest coastal surges in 60 years.
More than 240 flood alerts were in place across England and Wales, with 6,000 homes expected to suffer from flooding in the next 24 hours.
Floods in 1953 left 307 dead and sea levels are expected to reach the same heights.
This is the second time this year the UK has been hit by killer storms.
A driver has a lucky escape after suffering only minor injuries as a tree fell on her car in Solihull, Birmingham.A driver has a lucky escape after suffering only minor injuries as a tree fell on her car in Solihull, Birmingham. [PA]
A 61-year-old man was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after being struck by a falling tree in the Meadows. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
There have been warnings of severe flooding in coastal areas and the possibility of householders being evacuated.
In the Highlands, gusts of 93mph have been recorded at Altnaharra, rising to 106mph at Glen Ogle and 114mph on the slopes of Aonach Mor near Fort William.
Transport Scotland has escalated its travel warning to stage four red, advising people to avoid travelling, particularly in high-sided vehicles.
Closures, fallen trees, minor accidents and incidents of flash flooding are affecting the road network in the south, west, central and Perthshire areas.
“The weather conditions are such that we are having to bring the network to a standstill at the moment”
Scottish Hydro Electric said up to 80,000 homes are without power across the north of Scotland. The worst affected areas are in the Highlands, Tayside and Argyll, with road blockages affecting work to restore the supply.
The number of properties affected is expected to rise during the day as winds move across from west to east, the company said.
It has mobilised 1,000 engineers and support staff and expects the majority of supplies to be restored later today.
Uprooted trees and other debris have been blown on to overhead power lines, causing damage and bringing down the lines in some areas.
A removal lorry has been flipped on its side in high winds while traveling on the Redheugh Bridge that links Newcastle and Gateshead todayA removal lorry has been flipped on its side in high winds while traveling on the Redheugh Bridge that links Newcastle and Gateshead today [NORTH]
Hamburg shows how the whole continent has been affected by the weather [EPA]
The company said around 500 staff are working to fix the faults, including extra engineers drafted in from England.
Network Rail said that debris on the lines and damage to equipment meant it was not safe to operate any services. Trains were halted at their nearest stations and passengers were advised to disembark.
Spokesman Nick King said: “The weather conditions are such that we are having to bring the network to a standstill at the moment.
“There’s too much debris and too much damage to equipment to continue. “We cannot continue to run trains with the levels of wind we are seeing.”
ScotRail managing director Steve Montgomery told the BBC News channel: “It’s the right decision when you see the type of weather we’ve experienced this morning.
“We’ve had various problems, with trampolines, we’ve had haystacks on the line, we’ve had numerous trees and telegraph poles, right across the whole of the network in Scotland.
“We will gradually introduce services later in the day again but it is going to be a challenge for Network Rail to get out there and make sure all the lines are safe.”