Historic Brighton Pier Section Collapses Amid Storm Austen
The iconic West Pier, already damaged by arson and erosion, succumbed to strong Atlantic winds and waves.
A section of the historic West Pier in Brighton, England, collapsed into the sea Friday as Storm Austen, the first of two major Atlantic storms this weekend, swept ashore. The collapse marks another stage in the diminution of the recognizable landmark, which has been battered by natural forces and human-made damage.
Professor Fred Grey, an honorary historian at the West Pier Trust, noted that the pier has been "whittled away by nature" since it was severely damaged in two arson attacks in 2003. "All ruins are alive and ever-changing, and this is true of the West Pier," he added.
The U.K.'s Met Office issued an amber warning, its second-highest alert, for wind gusts reaching up to 80 mph (130 kph) in Cornwall and Devon as Storm Austen moved eastward along the English Channel coast. Forecasters on Jersey issued a red warning for shipping in the Channel Islands, anticipating similar wind speeds.
The storm also caused widespread power outages. By mid-afternoon, more than 31,000 homes in the southwest had lost electricity, according to the National Grid. Engineers had since restored power to over 52,000 properties.
A second storm, named Boelo, is expected to bring further wind and heavy rainfall over the weekend. The Met Office upgraded its warning for Boelo to amber for Northern Ireland, Scotland, and parts of northern England for Saturday night and Sunday.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged the public to prepare for a potentially flood-prone winter, advising citizens to take action in recognition of these risks. His comments came as he attended a summit focused on learning from the summer's record wildfires. The government has initiated a public awareness campaign, "Be Ready," which encourages Britons to stockpile essential supplies in anticipation of multi-day emergencies, citing potential hazards from climate change, technological disruptions, and hostile state actions.
The Met Office began naming major storms in 2015 to enhance public awareness of severe weather. Storms are assigned names alphabetically throughout the season, which runs from September to August.