Storm Eunice – what we know so far
Thousands of homes across West Norfolk and neighbouring districts are without power this afternoon as Storm Eunice continues to batter the area.
Although the strongest winds have now eased, disruption is likely to continue for some time yet, with a Met Office amber warning in place until 9pm tonight.
UK Power Networks are currently reporting power outages affecting around 2,700 addresses in communities across our area - stretching from Welney to Litcham.
The Environment Agency has issued a flood alert for Hunstanton's seafront, while public transport is also being heavily affected.
And organisers of the Lynn Mart have closed the fair for the day.
Here's how Storm Eunice was leaving a trail of destruction across the country.
Casualties
Thames Valley Police said a member of the public sustained serious injuries when they were struck by “falling debris” in Henley-on-Thames.
Stay-at-home warnings
Across the UK, but particularly in the worst-affected areas, people have been asked to stay at home.
The Environment Agency also urged weather watchers and amateur photographers to resist the temptation to try and capture dramatic footage of Storm Eunice’s impact.
Emergency services and the Met Office warned people to stay at home.
Boris Johnson said: “We should all follow the advice and take precautions to keep safe.”
Power outages
Tens of thousands of homes have had their power cut off.
Western Power Distribution said that, as of 1.30pm, more than 140,000 homes were affected in its area, with around 90,000 of these in the south-west of England, and 40,000 in Wales.
Property damage
Among the most high-profile sites to be battered by Storm Eunice was the O2 Arena in London
Some of the white covering on the venue could be seen flapping in the strong winds in footage shared on social media.
The famous building, formerly known as the Millennium Dome, hosts major events including concerts and features restaurants, bars, shops and a cinema.
On its official Twitter account the O2 is described as: “Not just a tent. The world’s most popular music and entertainment venue.”
Travel disruption
Road, river and rail have all been affected.
Several bridges were closed, including the Humber Bridge between North Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire, both Severn Bridges on the M4 and M48, and the Britannia Bridge connecting Anglesey with mainland Wales.
Major roads including the A66 cross-Pennine route and the M8 between Edinburgh and Glasgow were partially closed before reopening later.
Train operators across Britain have urged passengers to avoid travelling on Friday as emergency 50mph speed limits are in place in many areas, with no trains operating in Wales for the entire day, and severe disruption out of London.
On the water, P&O Ferries suspended all sailings between Dover and Calais, while the Sandbanks ferry connecting Poole in Dorset and Studland was also halted.
And in the skies, passengers on a flight from Bordeaux to London Gatwick endured two aborted landings before their plane was put in a holding pattern over the south coast and then forced to return to the French city.
Dozens of flights were cancelled, with hundreds of delays across UK airports.
Hundreds of thousands of people tuned in to Big Jet TV - a YouTube channel screening the landing runway at Heathrow Airport. Jerry Dyer, who runs the channel, has been frequently heard shouting “bosh” as the aircraft touch down, praising the pilots’ skills.
Winds gust over 100mph
Gusts of up to 122mph have been recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, the Met Office said.
At Mumbles Head near Swansea, on the South Wales coast, gusts reached 87mph, while at North Wyke near Dartmoor in Devon they have hit 82mph.
During Storm Arwen in November 2021, wind speeds peaked at 98mph at Brizlee Wood in Northumberland.
Closures
Schools in the worst-affected areas, such as south west England and South Wales, have shut for the day.
A number of attractions including the London Eye, Legoland and Warwick Castle were also temporarily closed.
Royal Mail said it was forced to suspend postal services and close delivery offices in some areas.
And communications giant Openreach said it had to cancel some customer appointments, with the storm expected to cause damage to its network and services.
