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| UK death toll mounts as St Jude storm leaves trail of destruction | UK death toll mounts as St Jude storm leaves trail of destruction |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A huge operation is under way to try and restore power to thousands of homes and reopen transport networks after storm-force winds left four dead and cut a path of destruction across a vast swath of southern England. | A huge operation is under way to try and restore power to thousands of homes and reopen transport networks after storm-force winds left four dead and cut a path of destruction across a vast swath of southern England. |
| At least four people were killed in separate incidents, after trees were felled by winds gusting up to nearly 100mph, more than 310,0000 homes were without power, and the rail network was reduced to chaos. | At least four people were killed in separate incidents, after trees were felled by winds gusting up to nearly 100mph, more than 310,0000 homes were without power, and the rail network was reduced to chaos. |
| Although the storm – named St Jude after the feast day of the patron saint of lost causes – was not as ferocious as the great storm of 1987, and the authorities had better warning and were better prepared, it still brought fatalities in its wake. | Although the storm – named St Jude after the feast day of the patron saint of lost causes – was not as ferocious as the great storm of 1987, and the authorities had better warning and were better prepared, it still brought fatalities in its wake. |
| A 17-year-old girl was killed in Kent when a tree fell on her static home, and a 50-year-old man died in Watford when his vehicle was struck by a falling tree. The bodies of a man and a woman were found in the rubble of a house in Hounslow, west London, where a falling tree is thought to have caused a gas explosion. | A 17-year-old girl was killed in Kent when a tree fell on her static home, and a 50-year-old man died in Watford when his vehicle was struck by a falling tree. The bodies of a man and a woman were found in the rubble of a house in Hounslow, west London, where a falling tree is thought to have caused a gas explosion. |
| Another woman was still unaccounted for, while a 14-year-old boy is also feared dead after being swept into the sea at Newhaven, in Sussex, on Sunday. | Another woman was still unaccounted for, while a 14-year-old boy is also feared dead after being swept into the sea at Newhaven, in Sussex, on Sunday. |
| The storm struck overnight, making landfall in the south-west before dawn, sweeping along the south coast – where the Met Office recorded a gust of 99mph on the Isle of Wight at 5am – before heading towards London at the height of the rush hour. East Anglia was the storm's final sting in the tail, before it headed out to the North Sea and towards The Netherlands in mid-morning. | The storm struck overnight, making landfall in the south-west before dawn, sweeping along the south coast – where the Met Office recorded a gust of 99mph on the Isle of Wight at 5am – before heading towards London at the height of the rush hour. East Anglia was the storm's final sting in the tail, before it headed out to the North Sea and towards The Netherlands in mid-morning. |
| In Kent, 17-year-old Bethany Freeman was killed when a tree crashed into her static home at Hever, near Edenbridge, where she was sleeping, at around 7.20am on Monday. Neighbours using chainsaws tried to rescue her but she was pronounced dead by paramedics. | In Kent, 17-year-old Bethany Freeman was killed when a tree crashed into her static home at Hever, near Edenbridge, where she was sleeping, at around 7.20am on Monday. Neighbours using chainsaws tried to rescue her but she was pronounced dead by paramedics. |
| A man in his 50s, from Harrow, north London, died when his moving car was struck by a falling tree at the eastern end of the bridge over the river Colne on Lower High Street, in Watford. Police said it was a major artery into town and if it had not been school half-term could have had consequences for transport in the area. He was later named as Donal Drohan, 51, originally from Waterford in south-east Ireland. A statement from his family said: "He was the best husband and father anyone could wish for. You couldn't find anyone who had a bad word to say about him. He was very supportive to everybody who knew him and couldn't say no to helping out with anything." | |
| The bodies found in Hounslow, were in a property devastated after a falling tree led to a suspected gas explosion. Three people were rescued by London fire brigade. Station manager Matt Burrows described a scene of utter devastation. | The bodies found in Hounslow, were in a property devastated after a falling tree led to a suspected gas explosion. Three people were rescued by London fire brigade. Station manager Matt Burrows described a scene of utter devastation. |
| "Debris was scattered over an area of about 50 metres [160ft] and the roof of one of the houses was in a tree across the road," he said. | "Debris was scattered over an area of about 50 metres [160ft] and the roof of one of the houses was in a tree across the road," he said. |
| David Cameron said the loss of life was "hugely regrettable". The prime minister said the government was working to make sure that the emergency services were able to do as much as possible to provide assistance. | David Cameron said the loss of life was "hugely regrettable". The prime minister said the government was working to make sure that the emergency services were able to do as much as possible to provide assistance. |
| On a visit to the Mini vehicle plant in Oxford, he said: "We have to make sure the emergency services can act as fast as they can to help people." | On a visit to the Mini vehicle plant in Oxford, he said: "We have to make sure the emergency services can act as fast as they can to help people." |
| About 130 flights were cancelled at Heathrow and ferry services were disrupted, with the port of Dover closed for nearly three hours, but the worst disruption was reserved for the road and rail network. | About 130 flights were cancelled at Heathrow and ferry services were disrupted, with the port of Dover closed for nearly three hours, but the worst disruption was reserved for the road and rail network. |
| Busy commuter stations in London and across the south-east were eerily deserted for the normal Monday morning return-to-work, as rail operators decided to suspend services until Network Rail officials had checked the tracks were clear of obstructions. | Busy commuter stations in London and across the south-east were eerily deserted for the normal Monday morning return-to-work, as rail operators decided to suspend services until Network Rail officials had checked the tracks were clear of obstructions. |
| By Monday afternoon, Southeastern, South West Trains and Southern were running heavily revised and reduced timetables. Most Greater Anglia services into London's Liverpool Street, including the Stansted express, were suspended because of overhead wire damage, and East Coast were unable to operate between London's Kings Cross station and Peterborough. | By Monday afternoon, Southeastern, South West Trains and Southern were running heavily revised and reduced timetables. Most Greater Anglia services into London's Liverpool Street, including the Stansted express, were suspended because of overhead wire damage, and East Coast were unable to operate between London's Kings Cross station and Peterborough. |
| East Midlands were unable to run any trains out of London's St Pancras for the rest of the day, while there were long delays on the West Coast mainline into London Euston. | East Midlands were unable to run any trains out of London's St Pancras for the rest of the day, while there were long delays on the West Coast mainline into London Euston. |
| Around 300,000 homes suffered power cuts at some point, the Energy Networks Association said, with energy restored to around 30,000 by mid-afternoon. The Environment Agency said there were six flood warnings in place England and Wales and 115 flood alerts. | |
| At the height of the storm, major road bridges, including the Dartford and Severn crossings, were closed, while fallen trees and overturned lorries caused tailbacks on main routes, including the M11 in Essex and M2 in Kent. | At the height of the storm, major road bridges, including the Dartford and Severn crossings, were closed, while fallen trees and overturned lorries caused tailbacks on main routes, including the M11 in Essex and M2 in Kent. |
| A double-decker bus "rolled over" in Suffolk, injuring the driver and several passengers. Witnesses told police the vehicle blew over at 8am in Hadleigh, rolling on to its side and coming to a stop in a field. | A double-decker bus "rolled over" in Suffolk, injuring the driver and several passengers. Witnesses told police the vehicle blew over at 8am in Hadleigh, rolling on to its side and coming to a stop in a field. |
| Whitehall, in central London, was closed due to a collapsed crane near the Cabinet Office. Staff were evacuated and the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, had to cancel a press conference. | Whitehall, in central London, was closed due to a collapsed crane near the Cabinet Office. Staff were evacuated and the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, had to cancel a press conference. |
| A 14-year-old boy feared dead after being swept into the sea in rough weather has been named by sources as Dylan Alkins. The teenager disappeared while playing in the surf at West Beach in Newhaven at about 4.15pm on Sunday. Rescue teams, including a coastguard helicopter and an RNLI lifeboat, scoured the area in what were described as atrocious conditions. | A 14-year-old boy feared dead after being swept into the sea in rough weather has been named by sources as Dylan Alkins. The teenager disappeared while playing in the surf at West Beach in Newhaven at about 4.15pm on Sunday. Rescue teams, including a coastguard helicopter and an RNLI lifeboat, scoured the area in what were described as atrocious conditions. |
| The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the operation had now become one of search and recovery. A spokeswoman said rescue teams had struggled in difficult conditions and that police were with the boy's family. | The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the operation had now become one of search and recovery. A spokeswoman said rescue teams had struggled in difficult conditions and that police were with the boy's family. |
| In Kent, the Dungeness nuclear power station partially shut down after the storm caused power cuts, said EDF Energy. In a statement on its website, EDF said two units at the plant shut down at 7.44am. "The shutdown was weather-related. The plant reacted as it should and shut down safely," a spokeswoman said. | In Kent, the Dungeness nuclear power station partially shut down after the storm caused power cuts, said EDF Energy. In a statement on its website, EDF said two units at the plant shut down at 7.44am. "The shutdown was weather-related. The plant reacted as it should and shut down safely," a spokeswoman said. |
| Several hundred Network Rail staff worked through the night to deal with disruption caused by the severe weather, with more than 100 trees reported to have fallen onto tracks. | Several hundred Network Rail staff worked through the night to deal with disruption caused by the severe weather, with more than 100 trees reported to have fallen onto tracks. |
| Special trains were used to clear tracks, the director of operations, Robin Gisby, said. "In four cases the train being sent through to inspect the line has hit a fallen tree and we have one train in Devon which is currently disabled following a collision with a fallen tree. We are also dealing with a landslip in the New Forest area. | Special trains were used to clear tracks, the director of operations, Robin Gisby, said. "In four cases the train being sent through to inspect the line has hit a fallen tree and we have one train in Devon which is currently disabled following a collision with a fallen tree. We are also dealing with a landslip in the New Forest area. |
| "While conditions were as forecast during the early part of the morning, the damage caused by the storm has been more severe than expected as it has tracked eastwards to the north of London and across to East Anglia." | "While conditions were as forecast during the early part of the morning, the damage caused by the storm has been more severe than expected as it has tracked eastwards to the north of London and across to East Anglia." |
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