This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26166796
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| UK storms: Homes left without power and travel disrupted | UK storms: Homes left without power and travel disrupted |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Tens of thousands of homes are without power and commuters are facing renewed travel disruption after hurricane-force winds battered the UK on Wednesday. | Tens of thousands of homes are without power and commuters are facing renewed travel disruption after hurricane-force winds battered the UK on Wednesday. |
| Forecasters are predicting some respite on Thursday from stormy weather but the Met Office is warning of further heavy rain and strong winds on Friday. | |
| Sixteen severe flood warnings remain for Berkshire, Surrey and Somerset - all already hit by severe flooding. | Sixteen severe flood warnings remain for Berkshire, Surrey and Somerset - all already hit by severe flooding. |
| Train services in parts of the UK are cancelled and some roads are closed. | Train services in parts of the UK are cancelled and some roads are closed. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron will chair the first meeting of a new Cabinet committee on flood recovery later. | Prime Minister David Cameron will chair the first meeting of a new Cabinet committee on flood recovery later. |
| It comes after road and rail travel was hit by high winds, which closed major routes and caused delays and cancellations throughout Wednesday. | It comes after road and rail travel was hit by high winds, which closed major routes and caused delays and cancellations throughout Wednesday. |
| A man, thought to be in his 70s, died in a suspected electrocution while trying to move a tree brought down by power cables in Wiltshire. | A man, thought to be in his 70s, died in a suspected electrocution while trying to move a tree brought down by power cables in Wiltshire. |
| Gusts of up to 112mph were recorded, with Wales bearing the brunt of the hurricane-force winds. However, a rare "red warning" for wind in parts of the country is no longer in place. | Gusts of up to 112mph were recorded, with Wales bearing the brunt of the hurricane-force winds. However, a rare "red warning" for wind in parts of the country is no longer in place. |
| In other developments: | |
| Power out | Power out |
| The Energy Networks Association, representing UK energy companies, said about 80,000 homes and businesses remained without electricity. | The Energy Networks Association, representing UK energy companies, said about 80,000 homes and businesses remained without electricity. |
| The organisation's spokesman, Tim Field, said 60,000 were without power across Wales, while the remainder were spread across northern and south-west England and the West Midlands. | The organisation's spokesman, Tim Field, said 60,000 were without power across Wales, while the remainder were spread across northern and south-west England and the West Midlands. |
| He said engineers had restored power to 145,000 customers since the storms hit on Wednesday, with 68,000 restored overnight. | He said engineers had restored power to 145,000 customers since the storms hit on Wednesday, with 68,000 restored overnight. |
| "The pylons and the wires themselves are very resilient to strong winds. It is other airborne objects and debris - like uprooted trees - that cannot hold on in those sorts of 100mph winds. It is these things that are causing power lines to come down," he said. | "The pylons and the wires themselves are very resilient to strong winds. It is other airborne objects and debris - like uprooted trees - that cannot hold on in those sorts of 100mph winds. It is these things that are causing power lines to come down," he said. |
| Engineers will work throughout the day to try to restore power by this evening to those customers still without, he added. | Engineers will work throughout the day to try to restore power by this evening to those customers still without, he added. |
| Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones said reconnecting power was still a "major challenge". He praised engineers who had battled powerful winds overnight to help. | Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones said reconnecting power was still a "major challenge". He praised engineers who had battled powerful winds overnight to help. |
| Mark Bradshaw, who lives in East Ilsley, Berkshire, said he had experienced three power cuts in 12 hours. "With a seven-week-old baby, we are really worried that we cannot heat or sterilise her bottles as we have no gas," he said. | Mark Bradshaw, who lives in East Ilsley, Berkshire, said he had experienced three power cuts in 12 hours. "With a seven-week-old baby, we are really worried that we cannot heat or sterilise her bottles as we have no gas," he said. |
| Travel problems include the following: | |
| Hundreds of passengers on an East Coast main line train from Kings Cross to Edinburgh spent several hours stranded in north Yorkshire on Wednesday night after it lost power in the high winds. | |
| Sophie Cunningham was on another train which was stuck in the area for five hours and said emergency heating and lighting lasted for just 30 minutes. | |
| She described the situation as "grim", saying it was "ice cold" and "like standing on the side of the track without the window". | |
| Shadow transport secretary Mary Creagh is set to ask an urgent question in the Commons shortly on the issue of travel disruption. | |
| The Met Office has issued various yellow "be aware" rain, wind, ice and snow warnings for many parts of the UK. | The Met Office has issued various yellow "be aware" rain, wind, ice and snow warnings for many parts of the UK. |
| BBC weather forecaster Jay Wynne said Thursday would be a better day than Wednesday, although it would still be quite blustery with a mixture of rain, sleet and some snow in northern England. | BBC weather forecaster Jay Wynne said Thursday would be a better day than Wednesday, although it would still be quite blustery with a mixture of rain, sleet and some snow in northern England. |
| While the sea would be quite choppy on some coasts, there would be spells of sunshine in areas including the south, he said. | While the sea would be quite choppy on some coasts, there would be spells of sunshine in areas including the south, he said. |
| Snow expected | Snow expected |
| But things would go downhill again on Friday with gales and the possibility of significant snowfall in Northern Ireland, southern Scotland and northern England. | But things would go downhill again on Friday with gales and the possibility of significant snowfall in Northern Ireland, southern Scotland and northern England. |
| As well as 16 severe flood warnings, the Environment Agency has also issued about 400 less serious flood warnings and alerts, mostly in southern England and the Midlands. | As well as 16 severe flood warnings, the Environment Agency has also issued about 400 less serious flood warnings and alerts, mostly in southern England and the Midlands. |
| Hundreds of members of the armed forces are continuing to help those affected by the flooding and 2,000 remain ready to help. | Hundreds of members of the armed forces are continuing to help those affected by the flooding and 2,000 remain ready to help. |
| On Wednesday, Mr Cameron reiterated his pledge that "money is no object" in the flood relief effort as he unveiled a package of financial measures to help flood victims. | |
| Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, meanwhile, has rejected calls for cash to be diverted from the UK's £11bn foreign aid budget to help those affected. | |
| "We don't help the people in Cornwall, in Somerset, in the Thames valley, by making people in other continents poorer," he told LBC 97.3 radio on Thursday. | |
| Environment Agency programme director Toby Willison said a number of rivers in south-east and south-west England, including parts of the Thames, were at their highest recorded levels. | Environment Agency programme director Toby Willison said a number of rivers in south-east and south-west England, including parts of the Thames, were at their highest recorded levels. |
| "This is an exceptional event, it was the highest rainfall in January since 1776 and we think it is likely December, January and February will be the highest for 250 years," he added. | "This is an exceptional event, it was the highest rainfall in January since 1776 and we think it is likely December, January and February will be the highest for 250 years," he added. |
| Are you in the affected areas? Have you been affected by the flooding? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in the affected areas? Have you been affected by the flooding? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
| Read the terms and conditions | Read the terms and conditions |