Met Office issues 15-hour power cut alert as 47 areas face extreme heat - full list

Met Office issues 15-hour power cut alert as 47 areas face extreme heat - full list The Met Office has warned people living in 47 areas that they should brace for 'adverse health effects' with power cuts also possible as temperatures reach 38C The Met Office has updated today's "extreme heat" amber alert to cover a swathe of new areas as parts of the UK face 38C. There are now 47 places covered by the weather alert, which warns "adverse health effects are likely to be experienced" in the coming hours. The alert came into force at 9am this morning and runs until midnight. It covers areas of the East Midlands, East of England, London and the South East, North West England, South West England, West Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber. The Met Office warning added: "The highest temperatures will be in parts of the the Midlands and western England, where 37 or even 38 Celsius could be reached." It says homes and businesses could be impacted by power cuts in some areas as heat-sensitive systems and equipment are more likely to fail in the extreme heat. “Adverse health effects are likely to be experienced by those vulnerable to extreme heat,” the Met Office warned, adding: “The wider population is likely to experience some adverse health effects including sunburn or heat exhaustion (dehydration, nausea, fatigue) and other heat-related illnesses.” Some changes in working practices and daily routines are also likely to be required in the affected areas and some heat sensitive systems and equipment may fail, with the potential for some power cuts and the loss of other services too, the forecaster warned today. “More people are likely to visit coastal areas, lakes and rivers leading to an increased risk of water safety incidents,” the warning continued. “Some delays to road, rail and air travel are possible, with potential for welfare issues for those who experience prolonged delays.” Regions and local authorities affected: East Midlands - Derby - Derbyshire - Leicester - Leicestershire - Lincolnshire - Northamptonshire - Nottingham - Nottinghamshire - Rutland East of England - Bedford - Cambridgeshire - Central Bedfordshire - Essex - Hertfordshire - Luton - Norfolk - Peterborough - Suffolk - Thurrock London & South East England - Bracknell Forest - Buckinghamshire - Greater London - Milton Keynes - Oxfordshire - Reading - Slough - Surrey - West Berkshire - Windsor and Maidenhead - Wokingham North West England - Cheshire East - Cheshire West and Chester - Greater Manchester South West England - Gloucestershire - South Gloucestershire - Swindon - Wiltshire West Midlands - Herefordshire - Shropshire - Staffordshire - Stoke-on-Trent - Telford and Wrekin - Warwickshire - West Midlands Conurbation - Worcestershire Yorkshire & Humber - North Lincolnshire - South Yorkshire Northern Ireland is covered by a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms on Friday as heavy rain may bring disruption. As much as 10-20mm of rain could fall in less than an hour, with a chance of a few areas seeing 20-30mm in less than an hour, the Met Office said. "This could lead to some flooding in places. Lightning, hail and gusty winds will be additional hazards" in the affected area between 6am today and 11am tomorrow. The Mirror has launched the Save Lives For Sam water safety campaign to tackle the UK's growing drowning crisis. Backed by MPs, Olympic champions, national water safety organisations and bereaved families, the campaign is calling for urgent action to make our waters safer. That includes compulsory water safety lessons in schools, a nationwide public awareness campaign, better lifesaving equipment at high-risk waterways, the introduction of Sam's Law, and a dedicated Minister for Water Safety. Find out more about the campaign and how you can support it here.