The Isle of Man felt the full force of Storm Darragh over the weekend as winds of up to 80mph downed trees, shut roads and left homes without power.

The Department of Infrastructure (DoI) were called out to over 160 locations across the island as staff worked to clear more than 200 downed trees.

An amber weather warning for severe winds, issued by the Ronaldsway Met Office, came into effect at 3am on Saturday morning (December 7) and remained in place until 11.59pm on Saturday evening.

A yellow weather warning for heavy rain was also in place, and lasted until midday on Saturday, while a separate yellow alert for high waves came into force on Saturday afternoon.

AS IT HAPPENED: Updates from Storm Darragh on the Isle of Man

The worst of the storm hit the island at 4am on Saturday morning as winds tore down a number of trees, blocking several areas including Johnny Watterson’s Road, the Snugborough Trading Estate, the Ballamodha and Patrick Road.

The DoI to urged residents to avoid driving for all but ‘essential’ reasons, while Bus Vannin cancelled most of its morning bus journeys.

A number of events were called off due the adverse weather, including the annual Santa’s on a Bike event.

The Northern and Eastern Civic Amenity Sites, North and West Barbary Coast and Curragh’s Wildlife Park also remained shut while the storm raged.

As the DoI and emergency services continued to clear blockages from the roads, Ronaldsway Airport announced that all of Saturday’s flights had been cancelled and the airport would remain closed for the rest of the day.

The Isle of Man Constabulary later confirmed that more major roads across the island had been blocked, including Old Castletown Road, the north bound carriageway on Richmond Hill and Kentraugh Back Road.

The Mountain Road was also closed at 5.30pm on Saturday until 10am on Sunday morning for safety reasons, while all of Bus Vannin’s evening services after 6pm were cancelled.

The DOI issued a statement the following morning, saying: ‘Since Storm Darragh swept across the island late on Friday evening and over the weekend, the department has been managing the aftermath of over 200 fallen trees across more than 160 locations.

‘Our teams, supported by local contractors, have worked tirelessly across a number of hours to address these challenges.

‘Both our personnel and contracted crews have actively worked to remove hazardous trees, clear blocked routes, and ensure the safety of road users.

‘This coordinated effort was vital to reopening roads as quickly as possible and addressing the extensive damage caused by the storm.’

A spokesperson from the Isle of Man Government added: ‘The public are thanked for their cooperation and patience during the storm and for supporting the teams who have worked tirelessly to keep the island safe and moving.’