- The country was hit by heavy rains and gales of more than 100mph overnight in the second big storm in a week
- Flood warnings are in place across Britain as parts face even more rainfall later today
- Winds in Cumbria were so strong this morning that a waterfall was pictured flowing uphill
- Thousands of homes without power in Wales and Northern Ireland thanks to the severe weather
- Many train services delayed or cancelled due to high winds as London commuters stay away
Britain took another battering from the weather today as heavy rain and gales higher than 100mph lashed the country, leading to widespread flooding and travel chaos.
Winds were so strong that a waterfall in Cumbria was pictured flowing uphill, as parts of the country were hit by landslides which blocked train routes and cut villages off from the outside world.
More than 100,000 families were bracing themselves for more severe flooding as the Met Office issued yellow and amber weather warnings, indicating 'severe or hazardous weather' with potential to 'cause danger to life or widespread disruption'.
This morning 13,000 homes were without power across the UK, according to the Energy Networks Association, even though 25,000 households were reconnected overnight.
Gusts: A Flybe plane was apparently blown sideways while landing at Leeds Bradford International Airport
Tricky: The flight from Southampton landed safely despite the difficult flying conditions
Powerful: A waterfall in Cumbria was pictured flowing uphill because the winds were so strong
Breeze: The 30ft torrent near South Stainmore was upended by the gale-force winds
Carnage: Part of the frontage of a chemist in Blackpool fell in to the road, collapsing on top of a car
Parts of Central London were left deserted as nearly all trains to and from Victoria Station were cancelled, and commuters took advantage of the bad weather to extend their festive breaks and stay at home.
However, Paddington Station was full of angry travellers after trains between London and Reading - one of the busiest routes in the country - were delayed by as much as 80 minutes thanks to overnight engineering works which ran for longer than scheduled.
The fresh storm, which struck last night, is spreading east across the whole of the UK throughout the morning, with the worst-affected areas expected to be northern England and northern parts of Wales, the Met Office said.
The winds are set to continue until around 6pm, and people are advised not to travel unless entirely necessary.However, Paddington Station was full of angry travellers after trains between London and Reading - one of the busiest routes in the country - were delayed by as much as 80 minutes thanks to overnight engineering works which ran for longer than scheduled.
The fresh storm, which struck last night, is spreading east across the whole of the UK throughout the morning, with the worst-affected areas expected to be northern England and northern parts of Wales, the Met Office said.
Visit: David Cameron went to Yalding in Kent, one of the worst-affected communities, to see the extent of the damage
Helping out: The Prime Minister paid a visit to households which had been flooded this week
Surrounded: Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire was marooned in flood water yesterday after the Severn broke its banks
Danger: The waters nearly reached as far as Tewkesbury Abbey, the town's medieval church
Emergency: Residents took matters into their own hands by building a bridge to help them get out of their homes
Misery: The area has remained flooded as heavy rains have refused to let up all week
A 137mph gust of wind was recorded in the Cairngorm mountains in the early hours of this morning, according to STV weatherman Sean Batty.
The severe weather forced Southeastern Trains to cancel all services until at least midday, with most other train companies facing severe delays and cancellations as well as speed restrictions on some routes.
Regent Street, one of the most popular shopping streets in London, is partially closed after high winds dislodged Christmas decorations overhead.
Around 10,000 homes are without power in North Wales, with the worst affected areas in Gwynedd, Anglesey and the Llyn Peninsula.
ScottishPower said the biggest issue affecting the electricity network was uprooted trees and other debris blown on to overhead power lines, which has caused damage and brought down lines in some areas.
Landslide: The South Devon Railway was closed after the storm brought trees down onto the railway line
Damage: The route of the railway was blocked after yet another night of severe storms across Britain
Cut off: Part of the village of Calstock in Cornwall is inaccessible after an access road completely collapsed
Isolation: It will take months to rebuild the road after it was damaged by a landslide
Flooding: A car on the road in Weston, Hampshire where continual rainfall has led to severe floods
Misery: Dozens of flood warnings are currently in force as householders' troubles show no sign of abating
Warning: A Land Rover drives down a flooded country lane in Lingfield, Surrey today
In addition, 4,000 homes in Northern Ireland were left without electricity overnight.
Police and fire services up and down the country have already reported road closures because of uprooted trees, while the Severn Bridge is expected to remain closed until this afternoon.
Kent was particularly badly affected this morning, with the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge closed for several hours and the M2 partially closed following a serious accident.
Clearing up: Workmen remove a tree after it fell on Highgrove, the country home of Prince Charles
Estate: The tree fell in the grounds of Doughton Manor in Gloucesterhire and collapsed onto the wall of Highgrove House
Hazard: Cars drive under the fallen tree next to the Prince of Wales's estate
Collapse: A large tree was blown over onto the Michael Faraday Community School in Southwark, South London
Accident: The tree was a victim of the high winds which struck much of Britain overnight
Severe: An aerial view of the flooding in Yalding, Kent on Boxing Day which followed a period of heavy rain
Disaster: Dozens of families have been left homeless over the Christmas period thanks to flood damage
The Met Office recorded a gust of wind in Aberdaron, in west Wales, of 109mph early this morning - with general wind speeds of between 60mph and 80mph expected in the UK.David Cameron paid tribute to the work of the emergency services and the Environment Agency in helping to prevent more severe damage resulting from the storms.
The Environment Agency is warning of more 'significant disruption' across southern England, saying: 'It is possible that heavy rain may worsen the current flooding situation in some areas with rivers responding quickly to rain falling on already saturated ground.'
Precarious: A tree held up over the road by a power cable as cars drive underneath near Maidstone
Explosive weather: A fisherman's crane in Dorset is engulfed by huge waves resulting from the storm
Knee-deep: A flooded car park in Pulborough, West Sussex after sustained rainfall
Battling against the elements: A woman clutches her hat as she walks the dog during high winds in Dorset
Splash! Waves crash against the shore at Saltcoats in Scotland, which is very exposed to bad weather
Almost-constant rain is now predicted to fall on the saturated land, exacerbating ongoing river flooding across the Somerset Levels, River Severn, River Thames and River Ouse in Cambridgeshire and rivers across Essex, as well as along the River Medway and the Kentish Stour around Ashford and Canterbury.
There are 52 flood warnings and 157 flood alerts in place, but the EA said the number of alerts may increase as rivers respond to the further band of rainfall.
Part of a village in Cornwall was cut off from the outside world after a road collapsed in a landslide.
Torrential rain left at least 20 homes in Calstock without access to the main road when the path near the River Tamar collapsed.
Repair work may not be completed for months, meaning the homes at the end of the road will only be accessible on foot.
The road began to subside on Christmas morning after the Christmas Eve storm, and then underwent a second shift later in the day.
Destruction: Beach huts on the Hove seaftront were torn apart by high winds over the Christmas period
Battered: The beach huts can often be surprisingly valuable given their prime location on the shore
Trouble: The River Thames came right up to the door of a house near the bank in Laleham, Surrey
Wildlife: Swans were frolicking in the road in Worcester after it ended up completely flooded
One car lover faced misery after his brand-new Aston Martin broke down and flooded as he tried to drive home on Christmas Day.The £150,000 car was stuck in 4ft of water in Maidstone, Kent, causing its electronics to cut out and forcing the owner to abandon his vehicle.
Water could be seen dripping across the car's white leather seats and built-in television screens.
The owner, who asked not to be named, said: 'I was just trying to get home and it conked out. I thought I'd be OK, but I wasn't.
'It's all right though, it's only a car. I'm fine, and nobody was hurt - that's the main thing.'
The vehicle was removed on Thursday afternoon, when the interior seemed remarkably dry despite water still covering the wheels of the Aston Martin.
Out of control: Caroline Quinn, 31, almost lost her umbrella on Newcastle quayside today
Stuck: A resident of Maidstone, Kent took a photograph of this £150,000 Aston Martin stuck in 4ft of water in the street
Recovery: Yesterday a worker went to help retrieve the £150,000 vehicle from the street
Unfortunate: But the car's owner said he was just pleased that he was safe and unharmed
The weather chaos comes after more than 43,000 people were left without power following Monday night's storm and around 1,200 properties were flooded in England, while would-be travellers were stranded in shut airports and stations.
The Environment Agency has been forced to contact more than 100,000 homeowners to warn them they are at risk of flooding. There are particular fears for elderly and vulnerable people.
Six people have been killed so far and that figure may rise as rivers flood and trees are felled by fierce gales.
One of the storm victims was today revealed to be an international banker who had gone out to help her neighbours by restoring their water supply.
Former Deutsche Bank vice president Susan Hewitt, 49, was trying to move a water pipe which she feared had been blocked, cutting off the supply to houses near her home in Bethesda, North Wales.
She is believed to have fallen in to a swollen stream while trying to help out.
Mrs Hewitt lived in New York, San Francisco and Chicago during her time with Deutsche Bank, before retiring to Wales with her husband Michael.
Packed: Thousands of people were stranded at Paddington station this morning after severe delays between London and Reading
Cancelled: Victoria Station in London was practically deserted this morning after Southeastern Trains cancelled all services
Waterloo: Commuters stayed away from the rail network after stormy weather brought more travel chaos
Abandoned: Westminster station was standing empty as the post-Christmas break continued for many workers
Staying away: London Bridge, normally a hub for City workers entering London, was largely empty
The worst-affected areas are expected to be northern England and northern parts of Wales. Helen Roberts, from the Met Office, said: 'We have another strong storm pushing in from the west overnight and another on Friday.
'It is going to bring a spell of rain and very strong winds in places. The rain will fall on already-saturated ground following Monday's storm, so that is going to bring new problems.'
Mrs Roberts warned of freezing temperatures and winds of 60mph inland, and far higher near coasts.
She said: 'These winds would be strong enough to bring down trees, especially if they have been loosened because of the weather earlier this week.
'There will be showers right the way through to the new year.'
Cordoned off: Victoria station was mostly closed with the platforms closed by tape
Facing a long wait: Passengers at Victoria were sitting on the concourse with no idea when their trains would depart
Disappointment: Passengers faced long delays at Victoria thanks to the effect of the severe weather
Fruitless: Train staff were blocking off the entrance to the platforms as no trains were running
Deserted: The streets of Central London were empty of traffic in rush hour this morning
Christmas break: A combination of festive relaxation and poor weather kept workers off the streets
More than 1,000 homes in south-east and south-west England have been flooded so far and there are concerns 100,000 more could be affected. In the most vulnerable areas, families have been phoned, texted or emailed by authorities advising them on how to cope if they are inundated.There are serious fears about exposure to filthy flood water, which can contain sewage and harmful chemicals.
Homeowners are also warned not to put themselves at risk by trying to drive away through floods or wade through the water.
Thousands of people were forced to spend Christmas without any power after storms battered the south of England.
Yesterday, engineers were struggling to reconnect 24,000 homes, many of which will now remain in darkness until the weekend.
The transport system has been crippled, with roads and train lines blocked by fallen trees and Gatwick airport thrown into chaos after flooding caused a power cut.
CANCELLATIONS, DELAYS AND DISRUPTION: TRANSPORT UPDATE FOR THOSE TRAVELLING BY ROAD, RAIL OR AIR
TRAINS
Arriva Trains Wales: Speed restrictions leading to delays- c2c: Services running as normal
- Chiltern: Service running as normal
- CrossCountry: Service north of Doncaster running at reduced speed adding up to an hour to journey times
- East Coast: Some services cancelled and others running at reduced speed - passengers are advised not to travel unless strictly necessary
- East Midlands Trains: Most services running as normal
- First Capital Connect: Most services running as normal
- First Great Western: Major delays of around 80 minutes owing to over-running engineering works between London and Reading
- First Hull: Services running as normal
- First TransPennine Express: Services running with delays due to speed restrictions - all tickets are valid throughout the day
- Gatwick Express: No services running today
- Grand Central: Services running as normal
- Greater Anglia and Stansted Express: Most services running as normal
- Heathrow Connect and Heathrow Express: Services running as normal
- London Midland: Services running as normal
- London Overground: Services running as normal
- Merseyrail: Services running as normal
- Northern Rail: Services running at reduced speed until this afternoon
- Scotrail: Some trains replaced by buses due to high winds
- South West Trains: Some delays - passengers are advised to check before travelling
- Southeastern: No trains running until 12pm apart from High Speed services
- Southern: Many services cancelled, delayed or diverted - check before travelling
- Virgin Trains: Services running as normal
ROADS - Drivers are advised to take extra caution and leave additional time for their journeys
- M48: The Severn Bridge is closed in both directions due to high winds
- Most flights are expected to depart as normal, but passengers should check before they travel. They should leave extra time to get to the airport due to delays on the road and rail networks
- Services to and from Dover face delays of up to 45 minutes
- Hovertravel services are not running until further notice
- Condor Ferries services face the risk of cancellation or delay - check before travelling
Underwater: The pitch at Worcestershire County Cricket Club was completely flooded after the storm
Rain stopped play: The flood water reached up to the steps of the club pavilion
Aftermath: Donna Hunt clears out her flooded home in Tonbridge, Kent after the water damage
Hold on to you hats! Police investigate the scene on the A66 in Cumbria where a caravan overturned in the road
They were abandoned by staff with no heating or hot water and just one toilet between them, they said. The airport's US owners now face an investigation, and are accused of failing to invest properly in flood defences.
In a weather warning, Gatwick Airport said it had 'additional teams of engineers, electrical staff and volunteers at the airport to minimise the risk of disruption from potential further flooding'.
A spokesman for the airport said it was currently operating on schedule, and said wind speeds of 45 knots is expected overnight and this morning.
'We are telling passengers to check with their airline in advance,' she said.
She described this week's weather as 'unprecedented', and said it was the combination of gales and heavy rain that caused the problems.
Warning: The fresh storm, shown as of 7am today, will spread east across the whole of the UK throughout the morning, with the worst-affected areas expected to be northern England and northern parts of Wales
Southeastern said it will not be running any train services 'until further notice', with metro and mainline services not expected to run until at least midday, while Network Rail added that services in Kent and Anglia will be delayed.
Robin Gisby, managing director of network operations at Network Rail, said: 'Passengers have had a tough week of travelling and unfortunately that is likely to continue for at least another day.
'Thousands of railway workers have worked tirelessly over the holiday period to try and repair the significant damage caused by Monday's storm and will be called on again over the next 24 hours.
'As ever, safety comes first, as we ensure routes are safe for passengers services leading to a delayed start-up in some regions.'
In Newton Abbot, Devon, a ten-year-old girl watched in horror as her stepfather died in the freezing River Lemon after he went in to rescue their pet dog.
Primary school teacher Nick Mutton, 46, slipped and was swept away at 11.15am on Christmas Eve as his family did their last-minute Christmas shopping. The Year Two teacher at Cockington Primary School in Torquay, lived with his partner Kathy and her two children.
Their pet Labrador managed to escape from the water.
In Cumbria, a man's body was pulled from the River Rothesay in Ambleside, while a woman died in a river in Gwynedd, North Wales.
The latest flood warnings issued by the Environmental Agency
Farmers said that hundreds of sheep have been washed into rushing rivers.
More rain is expected to cause damage to properties on the banks of the River Stour in Bournemouth and Dorset and the River Medway in Kent. Homes in Dorset, Bournemouth, Sussex, Surrey, Kent and Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are vulnerable to further flooding.
David Jordan, director of operations at the Environment Agency, said: 'More rain is forecast and in some areas rivers continue to respond to the heavy rain.
'We urge people to prepare for flooding and avoid driving or walking through flood water.'
Submerged: A bridge in Maidstone was almost completely underwater on Christmas Day, forcing one driver to abandon his car
Submerged: Only the tops of trees were visible on what is usually the banks of the River Medway
No comments:
Post a Comment