More than 20,000 homes have been left without power as Storm Ciara continues to wreak havoc – with warnings of strong winds and heavy snow still in place.
UK Power Networks reported more than 18,500 properties across the east and south east of
England were in the dark, while Western Power Distribution said more than 2,800 homes were cut off.
“We understand how difficult it is to be without electricity and our teams are working hard to get everyone back on supply as quickly as is safely possible,”
UK Power Networks, which owns the power lines across London, the south east and east of England, said in a statement.
“Our engineers have already restored the majority of power supplies affected by the storm, and we are helping families in vulnerable circumstances who are without power.”5am statement from UK Power Networks on the impact of #StormCiara on our electricity network (2/2) #Bedfordshire#Buckinghamshire#Cambridgeshire#Essex#Hertfordshire#Suffolk#Norfolk#EastSussex#Kent#Surrey#WestSussexpic.twitter.com/F7kDgfSpA5— UK Power Networks (@UKPowerNetworks) February 10, 2020Parts of the UK were facing blizzards and up to 20cm of snow on Monday, with travel disruption set to continue.
Some areas saw a month and a half’s rainfall in just 24 hours and gusts of more than 90mph swept across the country on Sunday.
Meanwhile, 178 flood warnings in place across the country.
Flights, ferries and trains all saw cancellations and delays on Sunday, while drivers faced treacherous conditions with floodwater, fallen trees and other debris closing roads.
A Met Office amber weather warning for wind, which had been in place across most of England, elapsed at 9pm on Sunday as Storm Ciara moved away to the north east of Scotland.
But a yellow warning for wind remained in force for the whole UK until midnight, with strong winds, heavy showers, snow and ice expected on Monday.
A yellow warning for heavy snow and strong winds is in place for Northern
Ireland and most of
Scotland and a yellow warning of snow and ice is in force for north west England throughout Monday and Tuesday.
A yellow warning for wind in the south is in place between 10am and 5pm on Monday.Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill told the Press Association: “While Storm Ciara is clearing away, that doesn’t mean we’re entering a quieter period of weather.
“It’s going to stay very unsettled.
“We have got colder air coming through the UK and will be feeling a real drop in temperatures, with an increased risk of snow in northern parts of the UK and likely in Scotland.
“There could be up to 20cm on Monday and Tuesday and with strong winds, blizzards aren’t out of the question.”
Train passengers were advised to check with operators before travelling, with early train cancellations expected as Network Rail engineers assessed the damage.
There were numerous reports of rail disruption on Monday morning, including trains on the TransPennine Express between Preston and Edinburgh being suspended due to flooding at Carlisle.
Hundreds were left stranded at Euston on Sunday, with fallen trees blocking several routes north and passengers advised not to travel.⚠️🚨 DO NOT TRAVEL 🚨⚠️This is our latest advice to passengers. Really sorry, folks, but #StormCiara is making it increasingly difficult to run a reliable railway for you.@nationalrailenq@AvantiWestCoast@LDNOverground@LNRailway@CalSleeperpic.twitter.com/j4y2CGDcBu—
London Euston (@NetworkRailEUS) February 9, 2020Motorists are also warned to take care with continued disruption to the road network and tricky driving conditions likely to continue into rush hour.
And airports around the country on Sunday night told travellers to check their flight with their airline due to the continuing bad weather conditions.
British Airways said in a statement there will be a “minor knock-on effect” to Monday’s schedule.
“We’re getting in touch with those affected, and have brought in extra customer teams to help them with a range of options including a full refund or an alternative flight between now and Thursday,” the airline said.
“Any customer flying short-haul to or from Heathrow or Gatwick, can also choose to make changes to their travel plans if they would prefer to fly another time.”Related... Storm Ciara Is Wreaking Havoc Right Across The UK Storm Ciara: It's So Windy Outside Parks Are Closing In Case People Are Hit By Falling Trees Storm Ciara Helps BA Flight Make Fastest Ever Subsonic Atlantic Crossing