A woman in Glan Conwy had to be rescued

The storms which raged across Wales on Friday also caused chaos for hundreds of rugby fans trying to travel to Dublin for the Six Nations international on Sunday.

Force nine and 10 gales roared across the Irish Sea and caused major difficulties for ferries trying to dock in port.

As the weather worsened over 40 flood warnings were put in place on rivers across Wales and 44 flood watches.

The Dyfi Bridge in Machynlleth, mid Wales, was closed on Friday night along while Gwent Police said several major roads in south east Wales were impassable.

Among the rail services disrupted were Porthmadog to Pwllheli in north Wales, Abercynon to Aberdare in south Wales, Pembrey to Llanelli in west Wales, and Machynlleth to Barmouth in mid Wales.

In south west Wales, Carmarthen's River Towy burst its banks flooding cars parked on the quayside and some commercial properties.

There were similar problems on the quaysides at Caernarfon and Conwy, north Wales.

The gales will slowly ease tomorrow, and Sunday is a looking a much calmer day

Weatherman, Derek Brockway

Further west along the coast roads at Amroth and Newgale in Pembrokeshire were awash while the River Teifi broke its banks in lower harbour at Cardigan.

The Environment Agency set up a control centre in Haverfordwest ahead of fears of more flooding in low lying areas later on Friday.

Meanwhile, all 1,400 pupils at Greenhill Comprehensive School in Tenby were sent home at lunchtime on Friday after council bosses became concerned about windows breaking due to the force of the high winds.

David Thomas, a spokesman for Pembrokeshire County Council, said they had decided to take the precautionary measure of closing the school after one of the windows has broken.

In Brecon in mid Wales, sandbags were used to protect some properties.

Several people found their cars underwater

Pupils were also sent home from Brecon High School, after metal sheeting on the roof became loose.

Further north rail services between Machynlleth and Pwllheli have been stopped completely because of the weather.

The Cambrian Coast Railway said it was trying to provide bus transport for passengers, but this was also being affected by the storms.

At Llanwrst in the Conwy Valley, where the river was threatening to burst its banks, pupils were sent home at Ysgol Dyffryn Conwy.

Cables down

The Environment Agency reported severe flooding in the Cardigan Bay area as a south-westerly wind lashed the coast.

A spokesman said there was extensive coastal flooding in Borth near Aberystwyth while in Bethesda, Caernarfonshire, the A5 was closed by a landslip and the roof of a rugby clubhouse was damaged by a falling tree.

In Anglesey, sandbags and emergency heaters were provided to people living in flooded homes while roads were closed in Trearddur Bay, Dwyran and Afon Lleiniog.

Some houses near the seashore at Malltraeth and Aberffraw were also affected by flooding.

A spokeswoman for electricity firm Manweb said falling power lines had cut supplies to several hundred homes in Wales, but most had been reconnected within an hour.

BBC Wales's weather forecaster Derek Brockway said the weather should calm down over the weekend.

Flood warnings

"The gales will slowly ease tomorrow, and Sunday is a looking a much calmer day.

"The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning and it will remain very windy with gales on coasts and hills," said Mr Brockway.

"On top of that we have some heavy rain to contend with, which make driving conditions hazardous.

"On Saturday there will be a gradual improvement in the weather conditions with the wind dropping down to around force five.

"But the rain is the problem on Saturday which is likely to bring flooding."

For further information call:

Floodline 0845 9881188

National Rail Inquiries 08457 484950