West Pier ruins collapse into sea as Storm Austen hits England Part of Brighton's West Pier ruins fell into the sea as Storm Austen brought strong winds and power cuts. Storm Boelo is forecast to bring more wind and rain this weekend. Part of the ruins of Brighton's West Pier collapsed into the sea on Friday as Storm Austen swept across the South West, buffeting the structure with tall waves. The collapse came as the first of two major storms moved in from the Atlantic, knocking out power to thousands of homes and businesses. The Met Office issued an amber warning, the second highest, for wind gusts of up to 80 mph (130 km/h) in Cornwall and Devon as Storm Austen blew eastward along the English Channel coast.Power Outages Hit Southwest Amidst StormForecasters on Jersey issued a red warning for shipping around the Channel Islands, where gusts of up to 80 mph were also expected. More than 31,000 homes were without power in the southwest by mid-afternoon, according to the National Grid electricity distributor. Engineers had restored power to more than 52,000 properties since Storm Austen began. The West Pier was set ablaze in 2003, and the collapse is the latest diminution of the structure.Professor Fred Grey, an honorary historian at the West Pier Trust, said: Ever since the two devastating arson attacks in 2003, the West Pier has been whittled away by nature. All ruins are alive and ever-changing, and this is true of the West Pier. A second major storm, Boelo, is expected to bring more wind and heavy rains this weekend.The Met Office updated its warning for Boelo from yellow to amber for Northern Ireland, Scotland and parts of northern England on Saturday night and throughout Sunday. Prime Minister Andy Burnham warned citizens to prepare for more weather events that could cause flooding this winter. We potentially are facing a winter of greater flooding, so it is about recognizing all of those risks and taking action, he said while attending a summit organized to learn from the summer's record wildfires.Government Urges Stockpiling for EmergenciesThe government has launched a campaign urging preparations for an array of hazards, including climate change, technological disruptions and actions by a hostile state. A key recommendation of the Be Ready campaign is to stockpile supplies of food and essentials in case of multi-day emergencies. The Met Office began naming major storms in 2015 as a way to keep the public informed about severe weather. Storms are named in alphabetical order throughout the season, from September to August.