At least 3 people dead during first winter storm in U.K.

LONDON -

At least three people have died in the U.K. after the year's first winter storm battered parts of the countries with gusts of nearly 160 kph.

The storm, which was named Arwen by the country's Met Office, hit parts of the north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland particularly hard late Friday and early Saturday. Three men -- one in each of those parts of the U.K. -- died as trees were blown over.

The storm, which also caused road closures, train delays, power cuts and high waves, abated Saturday.

"Storm Arwen has delivered some dangerously strong winds overnight, with gusts in excess of 90 mph recorded," the Met Office's chief meteorologist Steve Ramsdale said. "The strong winds will move south across the U.K. through the day, gradually weakening."