New Delhi: The Meteorological Office (Met Office), the United Kingdom's (UK) national weather service, has issued a rare red warning in south west-England and South Wales. This is because Storm Eunice, one of the most serious storms in years, could bring gusts of up to 90 miles per hour in these parts of the UK.
Storm Eunice: Forecast
In these regions, there is a risk to life from flying debris, and damage to homes, cancelled trains, and power cuts are likely, media reports said. The warning is effective from 07:00 GMT until 12:00 GMT on Friday, and as a precaution against the impact of Storm Eunice, many schools are closing.
According to a BBC report, millions of people living near the coastline of Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset, and the south coast of Wales, are being urged to stay at home during the storm. For the rest of Wales and most of England as far as Manchester, a lower amber warning for wind remains in place from 05:00 until 21:00 on Friday.
In Wales, all train services have been suspended on Friday, the BBC report said. Meanwhile, other customers are being urged by rail companies not to travel due to the expected disruption.
According to the BBC report, almost all Welsh councils as well as Somerset County Council said that their schools would close on Friday. The Bristol City Council said it had advised schools not to open, and more than a hundred schools across Devon and Cornwall would also close.
A Cobra meeting, which stands for "Cabinet Office Briefing Room A", and refers to the emergency council formed when a crisis arises in the UK, was held by the government to discuss the response to Storm Eunice. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the Army was "on standby" to support those affected, according to the report.
This comes after widespread travel disruption and power cuts were caused by Storm Dudley on Wednesday.
Moreover, there are concerns that Storm Eunice's strong winds and a possible storm surge could combine with high spring tides, which could bring coastal flooding to the west, south-west, and the south coast of England.
On the Severn Estuary and the Wye Estuary, ten severe flood warnings are in place. These warnings mean there is a danger to life.
The government is "well-prepared" with more than 250 high-volume pumps and 6,000 trained staff able to be deployed, a government source told the BBC. The source added that the government is not taking the threat posed by Eunice "lightly", according to the BBC report.
Extremely strong winds would develop over south-west England and south Wales early on Friday, the Met Office said. There would be widespread inland gusts of 70 to 80 miles per hour and up to 90 miles per hour near some coasts.
The Met Office said that the winds are expected to ease from the west during the late morning, but this will remain unsettled over the weekend with more rain and strong winds.
On Saturday, yellow warnings are in place until 18:00 GMT, covering the whole of England's south coast, as well as coastal areas in the south-west of England and south Wales, the BBC report said. After the storm, further strong winds could hinder recovery, the Met Office said.
According to the BBC report, Aidan McGivern, from the Met Office, said that red warnings were not issued lightly and only when there was a significant danger to life and high confidence of a measured impact.
"It is the most powerful storm we have seen in recent years, and we should tie down anything loose, especially trampolines, and make plans to stay in, especially if you live in a red zone," McGivern was quoted as saying in the BBC report.
In November last year, the last red warning was for Storm Arwen. This storm saw strong winds batter the east coast of Scotland and north-east England.
According to BBC Weather presenter Simon King, the wind strengths forecast for southern parts of the UK were comparable to the Burns' Day Storm of January 1990, the BBC report said. The storm had caused widespread damage.
King also said that the wind strength forecasts were comparable to the storms that hit during the winter of 2013-2014, according to the BBC report.
Blanket Speed Restrictions Imposed On The Main Rail Lines
On the main rail lines across the country, blanket speed restrictions are set to be imposed.
Jake Kelly from Network Rail, which operates and develops Britain's railway infrastructure, said that disruption to passengers' journeys is inevitable due to the strong winds expected. "We will be doing everything we can to keep as many services as possible running safely and reliably on Friday, but with such strong winds expected we know that disruption to passengers' journeys is inevitable," the BBC report quoted Kelly as saying.
Great Western Railway said it is expected to cut half of its services on Friday, according to the report. In south Wales, the mainline will be closed. Also, services will be terminating in Bristol Parkway, and some branch lines in Devon and Cornwall will also close.
Disruption was likely to continue into the weekend, Network Rail said. Tracks were cleared of debris and fallen trees, according to the report.
Highways England, which operates, maintains and improves England's motorways and major A roads, urged drivers, particularly those driving high-sided lorries, caravans, and motorcycles, to check the weather before setting off, especially in coastal and high-lying areas, according to the report.
In Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Avon and Somerset, major incidents have been declared. Residents in Cornwall and Somerset are being urged to stay at home and only travel on Friday if "absolutely necessary", according to the report.
Cornwall warned of possible flooding during the high springs at about 06:00 GMT.
Closures Announced Due To The Incoming Storm
Forecasters say the incoming Storm Eunice could be the worst in 32 years. In response to weather warnings about Storm Eunice, major attractions, parks and schools have announced they are shutting off on Friday.
Residents are being told to ’stay indoors as much as possible’ amid ‘flying debris resulting in danger to life', according to a report by Daily Mail, a British news website.
The amber warning issued in the South of England also covers the Midlands and much of northern England as well as Wales.
Within the amber zone, major attractions such as Kew Gardens, the London Eye, and Legoland Windsor all announced they will shut because of the high winds, along with others such as Chessington World of Adventures and West Midlands Safari Park, according to the Daily Mail report.
Salisbury Cathedral, the National Holocaust Centre in Nottinghamshire, and Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire are the other closures included. According to the report, Hammersmith and Fulham Council in West London said it was “likely that we will have to close our parks for safety reasons for the day”.
Parks in Hampstead Heath in North London will also shut.
On Friday, all schools in North Wales will close as a precaution. Many schools in Cardiff, Swansea, Bridgend, and Newport will also close, according to the report.
Bristol City Council has also announced that all schools will be closed. Also, all schools, early years settings, and colleges in Somerset will close on Friday, Mendip District Council announced.
Due to the second winter storm in three days, a major incident was declared in Avon and Somerset. The police is saying that both Severn crossings, the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge, and the M48 Severn Bridge would all likely be closed, according to the report.
Boris Johnson confirmed that soldiers would be deployed if needed to help those battered by Storm Eunice as Britons batten down the hatches with 100 miles per hour winds set to sweep in across the South from 5:00 GMT until 21:00 GMT on Friday.
Rail operators across the UK told passengers to avoid using their services, including London North Eastern Railway, Greater Anglia, Avani West Coast, and TransPennine Express, according to the report.
South Western Railway said that a speed restriction will be in place across its network. The Southeastern Railway had strongly advised people not to travel. "We strongly advise you do not travel," the Daily Mail report quoted the Southeastern Railway as saying.
According to the report, the Royal Borough of Greenwich in London told residents to ''stay inside where possible". Meanwhile, fire services across the South and Midlands told locals to "stay indoors and limit travel" and the Swansea Council said all schools will shut.
The red warning was issued along the coastline of Devon and Cornwall as well as the south coast of Wales because there are concerns that roofs could be blown off houses due to extremely strong winds that could reach up to 100 miles per hour, the Daily Mail report said.