Status: 02/18/2022 2:12 p.m
The first spurs of the storm have reached the English coast. A red alert storm warning has been issued for London for the first time. There are also severe weather warnings for France and the Netherlands.
Millions of people in the British capital, southern England and Wales are being asked to stay at home due to stormy weather. As the British weather service Met Office announced, there is a risk of death due to flying debris at storm speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour. Covered roofs, uprooted trees and disturbances in train and ship traffic are to be expected. People on the coast have been warned of large waves and flooding.
“Significant disruption and dangerous conditions due to extremely strong winds are expected,” the Met Office said. Roofs could be blown away and trees and power lines could be knocked down. There is “mortal danger”. According to a BBC report, the storm “Eunice”, which was christened “Zeynep” in Germany, could be one of the most severe storms in the country in decades.
First red alert for London
The British Meteorological Service issued a red alert storm warning for the capital London for the first time since the categorization was introduced in 2011. Red alert had previously been declared for parts of Cornwall and south Wales. “It’s unusual to have a red weather warning,” Home Secretary Damian Hinds told Times Radio. “It’s very unusual to have two of these.” He called on the population to take precautions. “Please stay safe,” appealed the Minister of State.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan warned people not to leave their homes and apartments. “I call on all Londoners to stay home, take no chances and do not travel unless absolutely necessary,” Khan wrote on Twitter.
precautions in the transport sector
Several ferry services between Dover and Calais have been cancelled. Several national rail operators also advised against travel. Rail services in Wales have been completely suspended today. Heir to the throne Prince Charles had canceled a visit to Wales because of the warnings.
London’s Heathrow and City Airports prepared passengers for delays and flight cancellations. The storm has already made landfall in south-west England, causing initial damage. Hundreds of homes in Cornwall reportedly lost power. Videos on social media show the roof of the Millennium Dome in London being damaged by the wind.
The British Environment Agency has issued ten flood warnings for the west of England. The train operator Network Rail called for travel plans to be reconsidered because of the impending storm. There have already been delays and cancellations in bus and train services due to storm damage to roads, bridges and railway lines.
More than 55,000 homes in Ireland without power
In London, train services have been restricted during the morning rush hour. Several bridges were closed. The storm “Dudley”, which is called “Ylenia” in Germany, caused traffic chaos and power outages in Great Britain on Wednesday, but did not cause any major damage. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said yesterday that the army was on standby because of fears of more severe damage from “Eunice”.
Schools remained closed today in the counties of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset in south-east England and on the south coast of Wales. Heavy snowfall has been forecast for Scotland and northern England.
Ireland’s weather agency also issued a storm warning. There will be “heavy and devastating winds” and possible flooding on Ireland’s south coast, it said. All schools in the country remained closed. The public broadcaster RTE reported that more than 55,000 households were cut off from the power supply by the storm in the morning.
Severe weather warnings in France and the Netherlands
The authorities in France and the Netherlands are also alarmed. In France, the weather service has issued a severe weather warning for five departments in the north. Wind speeds of up to 140 kilometers per hour and waves up to four meters high on the coast threatened, the weather service said on Friday morning. In the Netherlands, the most severe level of the weather alert, code red, applies to large parts of the country.
The French railways announced that they would stop regional traffic in the north and in Normandy from midday, with a few exceptions. Disabilities were also expected in eastern France. The TGV trains should run as planned, but the high-speed Thalys not to the Netherlands.
In the Netherlands, the weather alert applies in particular to the coastal provinces in the west, the north and the regions around the IJsselmeer and the Wadden Sea. From around 2 p.m. the storm will reach the Netherlands. In the evening, the wind will then weaken, as the experts estimate. As a precaution, train traffic should be stopped after 2 p.m., many schools will be closed. Impairments were also expected for air traffic: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol announced cancellations and delays.