Met Office issues weather warning with 'danger to life' as Storm Debi hits Sunderland

Another Yellow Weather Warning has been issued by the Met Office for Sunderland with a risk of "danger to life'" as Storm Debi hits the north of the country.

The warning is for strong winds and is in place until 6pm this evening (November 13).

The current forecast is for winds in Sunderland to increase across the course of the day, peaking at around 45mph at around 4pm, with the stormy conditions set to continue into the evening.

A statement on the Met Office website warned of "injuries and danger to life from flying debris" with the same warning for coastal areas due to "large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties".

The statement added: "Road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations possible and some roads and bridges may also close.

"Power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage."

The Met Office also warned of the potential for damage to buildings.

While the warning is for wind, heavy early morning rain falling onto already saturated ground has led to a lot of surface water on the city's roads.

The percentage chance of rain is forecast to be around 50% until late afternoon.

Storm Debi follows hot on the heels of Storm Ciaran, which caused flooding across the region, and Storm Babet, which took the roof of South Shields lighthouse.