Storm Ciarán has forced a massive 60,000-tonne cruise ship to divert into Cornwall.
The ship, known as The Spirit of Adventure, was on its way to Madeira when it had to dock in Falmouth.
Forecasters have predicted Storm Ciarán will bring winds of over 80mph to the UK.
According to recent reports, it has made landfall and is expected to bring devastation to already saturated areas.
Ahead of the storm’s arrival, Falmouth welcomed The Spirit of Adventure, which is the equivalent of 22 London buses long.
A recent addition to Saga’s line, it has been described as a boutique cruise ship which was completed in 2020.
CornwallLive reported that the ship has around 900 passengers on board and that it was en route from Portsmouth to Madeira when it made the unexpected detour.
Cornwall is due to be hit hard by Storm Ciarán as it crashes into the UK’s mainland before crossing over to East Anglia.
Trains and ferries have been cancelled and schools have closed in advance of the weather system which has caused the Met Office to issue a danger to life warning for some parts of the UK.
Flood duty manager at the Environment Agency Ben Lukey said: “Large waves and onshore gales brought by Storm Ciarán could see significant flooding along parts of the south coast tomorrow, while minor impacts are possible along the coast from Dorset to Sussex this evening and along parts of the Yorkshire and North East coasts on Thursday.
“Rain from the storm could also see significant surface water and river flooding across parts of the West, South and Northeast of England from later today until Friday, with minor impacts possible more widely on Saturday due to further showers.”
Mr Lukey added: “We urge people to stay safe on the coast and to remember to take extreme care on coastal paths and promenades.
“Flooding of low-lying coastal roads is also possible, and people must avoid driving through flood water, as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car.”
