One man was electrocuted in Wiltshire by fallen power cables. The storm damage could cost us £15billion. One expert said: “This is an unparalleled natural crisis.”
Many areas were battered by hurricane force gusts that sparked travel chaos up and down the land with large chunks of the rail network grinding to a halt due to fallen overhead lines, debris on track and speed restrictions.
Virgin trains sent out a dramatic statement warning all customers to “abandon travel” and urged those already on trips to get off at the next station.
As weather experts issued a red alert for Wales and the North West, spelling a danger to life, a man in his 70s was electrocuted while trying to clear a fallen tree that had hit power cables.
And forecasters warned two more fearsome storms are heading our way from the Atlantic and will strike over the next few days, giving little respite from the devastation.Hundreds of thousands of people were left without power when electricity cables were damaged and many areas already flooded suffered more deluges.
Police said the man who died was electrocuted in Calne, Wilts, after high winds brought down the tree. Paramedics tried to save him but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Ports and airports were also battered by the storms. Crossings between Dover and Calais were cancelled or faced delays. Irish Sea trips between Heysham, Lancs, and the Isle of Man were axed and in Liverpool all Mersey ferry services were stopped. There were also delays on the Isle of Wight ferries.
Flights to and from John Lennon airport in Liverpool were severely disrupted and some jets at Manchester airport were grounded. Birmingham and Cardiff airports also had delays.
WeatherWeb forecaster Simon Keeling warned last night: “It’s not over yet.
“We have to get over Saturday first of all. We can describe today’s storm as exceptional. It’s probably the strongest we have had this winter in terms of the broad area it has covered.”
And the Met Office added: “The system coming in from the south will push in and develop on Friday. Into Monday we are likely to see further wet and windy weather.” Paul Leinster, chief executive of the Environment Agency, said: “With further rain expected in the coming days, after the wettest January on record in England, the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better.”
On the trains, all Virgin services north out of London Euston were suspended until further notice. In Cheshire, Crewe station was evacuated and all journeys stopped after the roof was blown off the station. It later reopened.
