Evacuations ordered as Emma moves in
Snow, wind, flooding ... now the Beast from the East and Storm Emma serve up a new hazard
VILLAGERS on the south west coast were last night told to leave their homes as the snow storms gave way to dangerous floods.
The wild weather continued to cause major disruption on road and rail networks, cutting off villages and forcing some of the country’s busiest train stations to close.
Passengers stuck overnight on five trains on the south coast described how they were forced to spend 15 hours in icy conditions, some in darkness with no heating, food or water. Vehicles on Dartmoor were buried in snow drifts almost 10ft deep, forcing police officers to conduct searches by pushing poles into the snow. Blizzards brought roads to a standstill across the South West. The rare phenomenon of freezing rain transformed roads into treacherous ice rinks, leading forecasters to warn motorists that it was more dangerous than snow.
Some of the communities worst-hit by the snow were expected to be battered by floods as strong waves broke coastal defences and sea walls.
Devon Police urged those living near the coast to board up their properties and leave. The Environment Agency issued 15 flood warnings and 36 flood alerts for coastal regions across the
South West and North East.
Force 11 winds and 20ft waves were predicted as a deadly combination of the so-called “Beast from the East” and Storm Emma caused blizzards and drifting snow in some parts of the country.
In Cornwall, five properties were flooded in Porthallow, where conditions were described as “absolutely horrendous”. Thousands of families were checking their sandbags, ready to shore up the defences to stop icy floodwater pouring in through their front doors.
Cornwall council said: “Fire and rescue crews, highways staff and police are dealing with reports of flooding in the Lizard area, caused by a combination of high tide, strong winds and runoff from melting snow.”
Huge seas crashed over the sea wall and railway line at Dawlish in south Devon, which had to be repaired after being destroyed in a storm in 2014. Debris and shingle were flung on to the tracks which were also flooded.
Today yellow warnings for snow and ice are in place for the east of Scotland, most of central and southern England, and Northern Ireland.
A WARNING was issued yesterday after the rare phenomenon of freezing rain carpeted roads with dangerous sheets of invisible ice.
Forecasters said gritters could not save motorists from the treacherous conditions it created.
The raindrops, unlike snow, sleet or hail, fall to the ground as water and only freeze on contact with the ground.
A Met Office spokesman said: “It is hard for the gritters to work as the grit can’t go down on the surface as it just gets washed away, then more ice forms. It’s a no-win situation.”
Roads and railways were impassable and hundreds were stranded in treacherous conditions. Just over one and a
half feet of snow was measured in Drumalbin, Lanarkshire and St Athan in Glamorgan, South Wales.
Thousands of homes were left without power and hundreds of schools were once again closed, including the majority in Wales.
Kent Police received 100 calls to crashes in just 30 minutes. Floods caused by Storm Emma combined with melting snow left town centres under more than a foot of water in parts of the South West.
Police in Kingsbridge, south Devon, warned people to stay away from the coast in “horrendous” conditions.
“The winds are Storm Force 11 with an average wind speed of 66mph and gusts of over 80mph,” they said.
The Met Office issued six separate weather warnings – two amber and four yellow – and further alerts are in place until the end of Monday night.
Freezing rain only occurs in the UK around twice a decade. Forecasters said it was more dangerous than snow to drive in as it was not easily visible.
It last made an appearance in the UK in February 2012, when it was held responsible for hundreds of road accidents in Cumbria and many admissions to A&E due to slips and falls.
The RAC warned it would “turn roads into ice rinks” and urged motorists not to drive unless absolutely necessary. The RAC’S Rod Dennis said: “Freezing rain perhaps represents one of the greatest challenges any driver could face. It’s a huge hazard as roads may look clear and safe, despite actually being potentially icy death traps. Drivers should avoid using their vehicles in affected areas.”
Freezing rain can also fell tree branches and break power lines, causing electricity outages.
A Met Office spokesman said: “It can be dangerous as you just think it’s rain and you go out on the road and the whole road is ice.”
Temperatures will once again be below freezing for many parts of the UK today, with strong winds making it feel even chillier. Up to 20in of snow could fall over parts of Dartmoor, Exmoor and south-east Wales.
Several people have already died as a result of the severe weather, including a seven-year-old girl. The most recent fatality was a man who fell over in the snow while crossing a bridge in Haddington, East Lothian, yesterday.