UK weather: ‘Major incident’ declared as Storm Ciarán brings 98mph ‘danger to life’ wind & heavy rain in HOURS
A ‘MAJOR incident’ has been declared as Storm Ciarán brings 98pmh ‘danger to life’ gusts and heavy rain in hours.
The Met office has issued Amber weather warnings as Brits prepare to be battered by fierce winds and flooding.
Much of Britain has been urged to stay safe as the dreaded band of stormy weather hit at around 6pm on Wednesday evening.
A red warning was issued in Jersey from November 1 through to today, with residents advised to stay home.
And, a major incident was declared in Hampshire, Jersey and on the Isle of Wight.
Forecasters have warned that Storm Ciaran could pose a “risk to life” as winds of up to 80mph are expected in coastal areas.
This has led to the closure of schools in Jersey, Southampton, Isle of Wight and some across Devon and Cornwall.
Popular ferry services have similarly been suspended amid red weather warnings in the Channel Islands.
Both freight and passenger routes have been cut by Condor Ferries today, and DFDS has cancelled select services from East Sussex to France.
There are also expected delays and cancellations on their Dover to Calais routes.
It comes as the Jersey Met Service predicted winds of up to 98mph could hit the coast this morning.
According to shipping forecasts, there could be gales of 110mph causing huge swells in the Channel.
At present there are also two amber weather warnings for wind in place across the whole of the south of England.
The alert covering the south west coast is in place until 11am, while the south east can expect to see some relief by 5pm.
Meanwhile a yellow warning for wind has been issued across Wales today which is in affect until midnight tomorrow.
Moving north up the UK, another yellow level alert for rain has been placed over areas in the Midlands – it is in place until the same time.
Finally from 6am until 6pm, a similar rain warning covers Newcastle and stretches up along eastern Scotland.
The Met Office told Brits affected they can expect possible “danger to life” from flying debris.
“Damage to buildings and homes is possible, with roofs blown off and trees and power lines brought down,” a spokesperson added.
“Roads, bridges and railway lines may close, with delays and cancellations to bus, train, ferry services and flights.”
Power outages and mobile phone coverage are also likely to suffer as a result of the storm.
Meanwhile, “large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties” is also a concern for those in coastal communities.
Met Office forecasters have also warned there is a “small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded, causing damage to some buildings” in areas under yellow weather warnings.
“Where flooding occurs, there is a slight chance of delays or cancellations to train and bus services,” they added.
“Spray and flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures.”
There is also a possibility areas will be cut off by flooding and power could be lost.
This comes after much of the UK descended into caused chaos across last week as heavy rain caused flooding.
On Sunday, Lanchester Village, in County Durham, homes and businesses became submerged in water over night.
Most roads through the town were cordoned off as emergency services work to help those affected.
And, torrential rain wreaked havoc in London as commuters navigate waterlogged junctions in the city.
Meanwhile, Littlehampton, in Sussex, was even hit by a “tornado” which saw an entire roof being ripped from a property.
The Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (Torro) told the BBC a “definite tornado” hit the area after a site investigation.
Elsewhere, in West Sussex, a Bognor Regis Tesco car park was spotted completely underwater due to flooding.
On Saturday a shopping centre was forced to evacuate following flooding in a major seaside town.
Elsewhere in the country, stranded vehicles were spotted in a Gloucestershire town car park as flood warnings remained in place.
Meanwhile, the River Stour, in Christchurch Harbour, Dorset also burst its banks after torrential rain.
It came just after Storm Babet tragically left seven people dead and thousands of homes underwater.
WEATHER WARNINGS
What to expect, according to the Met Office
- There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded, causing damage to some buildings
- Where flooding occurs, there is a slight chance of delays or cancellations to train and bus services
- Spray and flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures
- There is a small chance that some communities will become cut off by flooded roads
- There is a slight chance of power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses
STAYING SAFE
Five tips for staying safe in a storm, according to the Met Office
- Check if your property is at risk – if so prepare a flood plan and an emergency flood kit.
- Stay safe in flooding – park your car outside the flood zone, store valuables and electrical devices high up, turn off gas, water, and electricity supplies.
- Secure loose items such as bins, plant pots, garden furniture, trampolines and lock shed doors.
- Is it safe for you to drive? If you must drive, slow down, use main roads, dipped headlights and keep a bigger gap between vehicles.
- During a power cut:
- Switch off all electrical appliances that shouldn’t be left unattended, ready for when the power comes back on.
- Leave a light on, so you know when the power cut has been fixed.
- Check to see if your neighbours are safe and if they have a power cut too. If they have power, your trip switch may have activated.
- If it’s cold, wrap up warm and close internal doors to keep the heat in.
- Portable heaters are a good alternative if heating systems are down.
- Call 105 for information, it’s a free service for people in England, Scotland and Wales