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| Storms return to batter UK as thousands without power | Storms return to batter UK as thousands without power |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Gales and rain have returned to the UK, causing further disruption to transport and the power network. | Gales and rain have returned to the UK, causing further disruption to transport and the power network. |
| About 14,500 UK homes remain without electricity - with some of those who have been cut off since Christmas Eve expressing anger at the situation. | About 14,500 UK homes remain without electricity - with some of those who have been cut off since Christmas Eve expressing anger at the situation. |
| Met Office yellow warnings - meaning "be aware" - for wind and rain have now expired with stormy weather subsiding. | |
| About 50 flood warnings remain in place in England, Wales and Scotland. | About 50 flood warnings remain in place in England, Wales and Scotland. |
| Rail services have been disrupted, while road closures have been reported around the UK because of uprooted trees. | Rail services have been disrupted, while road closures have been reported around the UK because of uprooted trees. |
| A 109mph gust of wind was recorded at Aberdaron on the Llŷn Peninsula in north Wales on Thursday night. | A 109mph gust of wind was recorded at Aberdaron on the Llŷn Peninsula in north Wales on Thursday night. |
| A gust of 102mph was recorded at the same location on Friday morning, while gusts faster than 80mph were recorded at several other places in Wales and St Bees Head in Cumbria. | A gust of 102mph was recorded at the same location on Friday morning, while gusts faster than 80mph were recorded at several other places in Wales and St Bees Head in Cumbria. |
| BBC Weather presenter Tomasz Schafernaker said current gusts on Irish Sea coastal areas were 60-70mph, while gusts of 50-60mph were being measured inland in northern England and southern Scotland. | BBC Weather presenter Tomasz Schafernaker said current gusts on Irish Sea coastal areas were 60-70mph, while gusts of 50-60mph were being measured inland in northern England and southern Scotland. |
| "Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides, often hit by gales, has been calm today with 10mph winds. It's been in the 'eye' of the UK storm," he added. | "Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides, often hit by gales, has been calm today with 10mph winds. It's been in the 'eye' of the UK storm," he added. |
| 'Do better' | 'Do better' |
| Prime Minister David Cameron has visited the village of Yalding in Kent, which experienced severe flooding on Christmas Eve, and was confronted by resident Ericka Olivares who said her local council had done "nothing" to help villagers because staff were "on their holidays". | Prime Minister David Cameron has visited the village of Yalding in Kent, which experienced severe flooding on Christmas Eve, and was confronted by resident Ericka Olivares who said her local council had done "nothing" to help villagers because staff were "on their holidays". |
| Speaking later to the BBC, she said she was "annoyed" because Mr Cameron's visit did not help those affected by the weather. | Speaking later to the BBC, she said she was "annoyed" because Mr Cameron's visit did not help those affected by the weather. |
| She said her power had been cut off since Christmas Eve and she contacted the council and the Environment Agency to ask for help - such as sandbags to hold back flood water - and been "fobbed off". | She said her power had been cut off since Christmas Eve and she contacted the council and the Environment Agency to ask for help - such as sandbags to hold back flood water - and been "fobbed off". |
| "The emergency services, they turned up today [with the prime minister]. Where were they when we needed anything on Christmas Eve?" | "The emergency services, they turned up today [with the prime minister]. Where were they when we needed anything on Christmas Eve?" |
| Mr Cameron said the severity of flooding in the area made it difficult to ensure homes were protected. | Mr Cameron said the severity of flooding in the area made it difficult to ensure homes were protected. |
| "Sometimes these are very, very tragic events. It is impossible to protect everybody against everything but we have got to do more and we have got to do better." | "Sometimes these are very, very tragic events. It is impossible to protect everybody against everything but we have got to do more and we have got to do better." |
| Earlier he had tweeted: "An enormous thank you to the @EnvAgency and emergency services who are doing an amazing job with the floods and extreme weather." | Earlier he had tweeted: "An enormous thank you to the @EnvAgency and emergency services who are doing an amazing job with the floods and extreme weather." |
| Following the meeting he tweeted that the village's residents had "shown real spirit". | Following the meeting he tweeted that the village's residents had "shown real spirit". |
| Tom Greatrex, Labour's shadow energy minister, said Mr Cameron had "serious questions to answer" about why it was taking "so long" to reconnect people's electricity. | Tom Greatrex, Labour's shadow energy minister, said Mr Cameron had "serious questions to answer" about why it was taking "so long" to reconnect people's electricity. |
| "It is now four days since the storm hit and thousands of households are still without power," he said. | "It is now four days since the storm hit and thousands of households are still without power," he said. |
| 'A challenge' | 'A challenge' |
| Speaking at 16:00 GMT, Tony Glover from the Energy Networks Association said 8,000 homes in England and Wales were still without power. | Speaking at 16:00 GMT, Tony Glover from the Energy Networks Association said 8,000 homes in England and Wales were still without power. |
| Most of the homes that have been without electricity since Christmas Eve are thought to be in south-east England. | Most of the homes that have been without electricity since Christmas Eve are thought to be in south-east England. |
| Mr Glover said the experiences of people without power were "horrendous" but the companies were working "incredibly hard, around the clock" to get them reconnected. | Mr Glover said the experiences of people without power were "horrendous" but the companies were working "incredibly hard, around the clock" to get them reconnected. |
| UK Power Networks, which maintains power supplies to areas including Kent, Sussex and parts of Surrey, said more than 1,500 homes cut off since Christmas Eve in those counties were still without power. | UK Power Networks, which maintains power supplies to areas including Kent, Sussex and parts of Surrey, said more than 1,500 homes cut off since Christmas Eve in those counties were still without power. |
| Scottish Power and Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) said about 4,500 homes in Scotland were without power, while Northern Ireland Electricity said the figure was about 2,000 there. | Scottish Power and Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) said about 4,500 homes in Scotland were without power, while Northern Ireland Electricity said the figure was about 2,000 there. |
| One of those without power is Sharon Beresford from Bournemouth, who has been staying in a hotel with her family after their power line was damaged by a tree on Monday night. | One of those without power is Sharon Beresford from Bournemouth, who has been staying in a hotel with her family after their power line was damaged by a tree on Monday night. |
| "It's been a little bit difficult, not quite what we planned," she said. | "It's been a little bit difficult, not quite what we planned," she said. |
| "The hardest thing has been no information from the power companies - we keep ringing, just keep getting automated messages, we hold on for 40 to 50 minutes sometimes with no joy." | "The hardest thing has been no information from the power companies - we keep ringing, just keep getting automated messages, we hold on for 40 to 50 minutes sometimes with no joy." |
| Caroline St Clare Grondona, from Chiddingfold in Surrey, said SSE had been "useless" since her power was cut off on Monday. | Caroline St Clare Grondona, from Chiddingfold in Surrey, said SSE had been "useless" since her power was cut off on Monday. |
| "They are providing no information and we are not even appearing on their list of homes without power," she said. | "They are providing no information and we are not even appearing on their list of homes without power," she said. |
| "The fridge and freezer have defrosted so there is a lot of thawed out food. Christmas Day was spent with my sister but since then we've been stuck at home." | "The fridge and freezer have defrosted so there is a lot of thawed out food. Christmas Day was spent with my sister but since then we've been stuck at home." |
| An SSE spokesman said 800 homes in its area of southern England were still cut off - mostly in "rural pockets" - and staff would keep working until all were reconnected. | An SSE spokesman said 800 homes in its area of southern England were still cut off - mostly in "rural pockets" - and staff would keep working until all were reconnected. |
| The Environment Agency said rainfall on Thursday night was less than expected, with about 10mm in the South East. It has had reports of about 1,200 properties flooding so far. | The Environment Agency said rainfall on Thursday night was less than expected, with about 10mm in the South East. It has had reports of about 1,200 properties flooding so far. |
| Strong winds caused an electricity pylon to crash into two homes in County Down on Thursday night. | Strong winds caused an electricity pylon to crash into two homes in County Down on Thursday night. |
| Meanwhile: | Meanwhile: |
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