DHAKA: Millions of people in England and Wales have been warned to prepare for heavy rain and hurricane-force winds on Sunday night and Monday.

Gusts of up to 80mph are predicted as the storm hits the South West then moves north and eastwards.

There are fears of flooding, damage to buildings, trees falling and disruption to power supplies and travel.

UK prime minister David Cameron tweeted to say he had chaired a discussion on plans to protect people from the storm, reports the BBC.

The Met Office said 20-40mm of rain might fall within six to nine hours in the wettest areas.

It said the predicted storm, named St Jude after the patron saint of depression and lost causes, whose feast day is on Monday, was not one ‘you would see every year’.

Roads, flights and trains are expected to be disrupted, and some rail operators have already announced revised timetables.

A Met Office amber alert for high winds in southern Wales, southern England, much of the Midlands, the East, London and the South East is in place.

BDST: 1955 HRS, OCT 27, 2013
RoR/JCK