(MENAFN) The rain and wind alerts for the UK have been downgraded as Storm Benjamin moves away towards the east.

The storm, named by Météo France, passed over the English Channel earlier on Thursday morning, bringing intense winds to northern France, with gusts reaching up to 100mph. As the storm continues to clear eastward, its effects on the UK are diminishing.

Initially, the Met Office had issued four yellow weather warnings covering large areas of England and Wales.

However, these have now been reduced to two warnings: one for rain in Norfolk and Suffolk, valid until 18:00 BST, and another for wind in eastern England, lasting until 15:00 BST.

Despite this, the ongoing rain in Norfolk and Suffolk still poses a slight risk of localized flooding.

Although the strongest winds have moved offshore toward the North Sea and regions of Belgium and the Netherlands, gusty conditions will persist across eastern England.

Winds of 40-50mph are expected, with gusts potentially reaching 55mph along coastal areas. A yellow wind warning remains in place for this region until 15:00 BST.

These wind speeds may cause some disruptions to travel, particularly on ferry routes.

Earlier in the day, the storm caused power outages, leaving over 2,000 homes in Suffolk without electricity, as reported by UK Power Networks.

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