Carnage on Shotley peninsula as Storm Eunice strikes

By Derek Davis

19th Feb 2022 | Local News

Storm Eunice has caused carnage on the Shotley peninsula today, with accidents, powers cuts, trees blocking roads, damage to homes and a yacht being grounded.

A rare red weather warning today failed to prevent people venturing out and the emergency services were called out to a number of incidents on the peninsula.

Fire crews from Holbrook and Princes Street in Ipswich went a car accident in Freston at around 4pm and

Meanwhile. a crew from Holbrook attended an incident in Chelmondiston to remove a tree blocking the road at around 3.30pm and stood down 25 minutes later.

Meanwhile, residents in Shotley lost power in Queensland, Kingsland and the Street early this afternoon, although UK Power network engineers restored electricity with a couple go hours.

Home owners did not hang around on Lower Harlings either as they cleared a tree blocking the road in Shotley Gate, while other trunks blocking the path at Marsh Lane in the village have been reported to Shotley Open Spaces for removal.

A rod was also blocked by a tree in Holbrook, while others in Harkstead and Erwarton were reported as blocking roads.

Schools on the peninsula were closed today, allowing teachers an extra day off, even though they will still be carrying out development days after the half term break, meaning parents will be forced to find even more child care at short notice.

Primary schools on the peninsula have so far declined to respond to Nub News' requests for comments.

Meanwhile, Suffolk's councils, health bodies, utility companies and emergency services have been busy responding to the impact of Storm Eunice today - with work continuing to get Suffolk back up and running as soon as possible.

In total today:

· Suffolk Police received 339 calls to 999 and 431 calls to 101 – 150 of these were weather related.

· Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service attended 51 incidents

· Suffolk Highways received 146 reports of fallen trees and road obstructions. 43 have been cleared, 12 are currently being tackled and 30 are scheduled. Teams will be working throughout the night

· UK Power Networks is currently reporting 13,900 properties in Suffolk without power

Jon Lacey, Suffolk's Chief Fire Officer and chair of the Suffolk Resilience Forum group coordinating the joint response to the storm, said:

"Gale force winds have brought down trees, damaged buildings, closed schools, workplaces, roads and bridges and threatened public safety in Suffolk today. But despite this, first responders, carers, nurses, refuse collectors and community volunteers from a range of organisations in Suffolk have battled to rescue and support people in Suffolk so the county can get back on track. On behalf of the Suffolk Resilience Forum, I would like to thank them all.

"The weather conditions are likely to change this weekend and present new threats, so I would urge people to continue to follow the safety advice we are giving, especially when outside in the open.

"If everyone takes care of themselves and looks out for others, we'll significantly reduce the risk of people being injured and speed up our recovery from Storm Eunice."

Safety advice given earlier today remains in place due to the amount of fallen debris and winds still affecting Suffolk. This weekend's weather forecasts also predict rain, very cold temperatures and more high winds – so caution is being urged.

The public is being asked to play their part by:

· Driving to the conditions, with debris and surface water expected

· Reporting fallen trees and obstructions on roads and paths to Suffolk Highways on 0345 606 6171

· Avoiding coastal areas due to an increased risk of erosion posing danger to life

· Planning their journey well in advance and checking for travel disruption before leaving – the Orwell Bridge is currently closed in both directions and the rail network is currently suspended

With so much disruption to the county's power supply, people are still encouraged to keep mobile phones fully charged, have torches to hand and if using candles or tea lights, ensure they are on a hard surface and not left unattended.

Further information on power cuts can be found at: www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/power-cut or by contacting UK Power Networks on 105. Damaged powerlines can also be reported to this number, as well as 999 if there is an immediate risk to public safety.

Suffolk residents can keep updated on the storm and subsequent disruptions by:

· Following @SuffolkCC on Twitter or Suffolk County Council on Facebook

· Monitoring the weather forecast at www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/forecast/uk

· Getting the latest information on Orwell Bridge closures at www.twitter.com/highwayseast

     

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