While a “localised tornado” has caused damage to homes in Greater Manchester, Storm Gerrit has caused havoc on the transport system and knocked out electricity in thousands of homes.
Due to flooding and road closures causing additional travel mayhem on Thursday morning, certain ScotRail trains are being cancelled, postponed, or altered.
Because of the diversion through the Midlands, Avanti West Coast services leaving from London Euston will take longer to reach their destination.
It’s urged that Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, residents avoid their homes after what seems to be a tornado tore through the neighbourhood on Wednesday just before midnight.
At approximately 11:45 p.m., according to Greater Manchester Police, there were “many reports of significant damage” to homes in Stalybridge, Tameside.
Chief Superintendent Mark Dexter from GMP said: “This incident has undoubtedly affected numerous people in the Stalybridge area with many residents displaced from their properties during the night.
“Our highest priority is keeping people safe which is why we are advising those who have been displaced not to return or enter their properties which have significant damage until they have been assessed by structural engineers.
“I would also like to urge members of the public to avoid the area where possible and take extra care when travelling in vehicles on the roads in Stalybridge and the surrounding areas, due to debris in the road.”
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said that while staff attempted to reconnect consumers in certain coastal locations, they encountered wind speeds of up to 80 mph. Significant amounts of snow fell in several parts of Scotland.
Scotland’s energy networks were harmed by strong winds, persistent rain, and snowfall, which also caused power lines to collapse due to falling trees, branches, and other debris.
According to SSEN, 25,000 residences now have power again, and 16,000 more homes lost power on Thursday.
An SSEN spokesman said: “The widespread extent of the damage, the ongoing adverse weather conditions, and the challenges accessing faults due to fallen trees, flooding and road closures, together mean that full network restoration will take time.”
“Some customers in rural areas may be off supply for up to 48 hours.
Travel disruptions
Following snowfall that stopped the A9 between Drumochter and Dalwhinnie, Scotland Police reported that the route is now fully open in both directions and should be driven carefully.
After being closed earlier, the northbound A90 has also reopened; however, the southbound lanes at Lochlands, Forfar, are still closed and have local detours in effect.
A fallen tree struck the train driver’s cabin, causing numerous cancellations and delays on Scotland’s rail system. Aslef Scotland verified that the driver was unharmed, and Paul Sweeney, a Labour MSP, reported that the passengers were likewise unharmed.
Many train services were suspended by ScotRail until further notice, affecting the movement of trains and causing other lines to shelve their schedules until “a full inspection can be carried out” on the railway network.
Due to the weather, passengers were also warned not to travel by train operator LNER, which operates services on the East Coast Main Line between London and Scotland.
Clients who were left behind by the disturbance were instructed to reserve lodgings that they could later claim.
All trains to and from London terminate at Preston, according to Avanti West Coast, the company that runs services on the West Coast Main Line.
The company stated that their route to Scotland is unpassable. According to the operator, passengers who have reserved tickets in advance for travel between Preston and Glasgow or Edinburgh can board trains on Thursday or Friday.
Heathrow Airport cancelled 18 flights on Wednesday due to air traffic control restrictions including routes from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Jersey and Manchester as well as to Barcelona, Berlin, Madrid and Paris.
According to the Met Office, Storm Gerrit also brought plenty of rain, with the Great Langdale Valley in the Lake District recording 80mm, or almost half of December’s typical monthly rainfall of 178mm.
The fastest wind gusts ever recorded were 86 mph in Inverbervie on Scotland’s northeast coast, 84 mph at Fair Isle, and 83 mph at Capel Curig in north Wales.