A Status Red alert is in place in Ireland and 15,000 are without power as high winds sweep across the west of the British Isles.

A woman has died after a tree fell on her car as stormy weather batters Ireland, Northern Ireland and other areas of the western UK.

The 23-year-old died in Mullingar, County Westmeath at about 4.05pm. She was taken to a local Irish hospital by ambulance but was pronounced dead at 5.30pm.

A man has also been seriously injured on the A45 in Warwickshire after a “large tree” fell on his car, according to West Midlands Ambulance Service.

More than 15,000 people were also without power on Wednesday night – around 14,000 in Ireland, 1,000 in Northern Ireland and 890 in Neath, south Wales.

Winds of 70-80mph are forecast in Northern Ireland and the west coast of Scotland, where an orange “be prepared” warning is in place.

South-west England and much of western Wales are under a less severe “be aware” warning from the Met Office, with gusts of between 50 to 70mph possible.

The Environment Agency has issued 17 flood warnings and 110 flood alerts, most clustered in the west of the UK, but some in central and eastern areas.

The roof of the Kent railway station in Cork, Ireland, also partially collapsed on Wednesday, leaving a passenger with minor injuries.

The country’s weather service, Met Eireann, has issued a “Status Red” severe weather warning for counties Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo.

It means that people should “take action to protect themselves and/or their properties”.

Gusts of 75mph to 93mph (120 to 150 km/h) are forecast in those counties, as well as high seas in coastal areas.

An orange warning is in place for counties Cavan and Clare, and a yellow alert for Leinster, Monaghan, Roscommon, Tipperary and Waterford.

One Twitter user, Anna Leonard, posted: “The weather is so bad in Ireland. A woman is dead in Mullingar because of the wind. Ridiculous. Prayers with those affected!”

The wind is expected to ease on Thursday with a forecast of sunshine and heavy showers, some wintry.