4×4 got into deep water in River Esk in North York Moors as severe floods and high winds hit parts of the UK
Three men died after their 4×4 plunged into the River Esk on the moors of North York amid fierce weather and severe flooding in parts of the UK on Thursday.
Emergency services, including air support, were called shortly before noon to reports of the men becoming trapped in deep water. Police said the vehicle was recovered at about 3pm.
Residents of parts of Tameside, in Greater Manchester, had to pick up the pieces after a “localised tornado” triggered by a supercell storm swept through around a hundred properties. Thousands of houses were knocked out of power and a first incident was reported.
Storm Gerrit, the most recent named typhoon to hit the U. K. , also brought heavy snow, high winds and rain to parts of Scotland, where downed trees and other debris brought down lines of force.
The Met Office said on Thursday afternoon that the worst of the weather was over but there would be blustery and showery conditions overnight and into Friday.
A new wave of strong winds and an era of heavy rain are expected on Saturday before windy and rainy situations on Sunday, New Year’s Eve.
By Thursday evening the number of warnings in place for expected flooding in England had risen to 29, concentrated in Cumbria, the Midlands and East and North Yorkshire.
In England, in the north and west, an additional 123 flood warnings remained in force, where flooding is possible. There have been 8 flood warnings and 15 flood warnings in Scotland, and one flood warning and 17 warnings in Wales.
Several train operators, including ScotRail, LNER and Avanti West Coast, suspended some services and advised customers not to travel on some routes.
The tornado is believed to have caused significant damage to homes in Stalybridge, Tameside.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said they obtained reports of the incident at around 11:45pm. and declared a major incident due to the severity of the damage caused and the potential threat to public safety.
The Liberal Democrats called on Rishi Sunak to convene a Cobra meeting after the damage wreaked in the Greater Manchester town. No injuries were reported but many people had to leave their homes.
Residents reported hearing a hurricane-like noise for 15 to 30 seconds as trees were uprooted and roofs ripped off. Richard Harrison, whose car window shattered in flying debris, told the Manchester Evening News: “It was fortunate that no one died. “
Matthew Marsland, who lives across the street from the badly injured homes, said he had no idea how bad the damage was in the first place.
He told the newspaper: “I saw a piece of tree next to my neighbour’s car, then I looked further along the street and saw a gutter in the middle of the street so I thought I’d go and pick that up, and then I saw my neighbour had had half his house torn off.”
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Tameside Council said around a hundred homes were evacuated after the tornado hit the Carrbrook and Millbrook areas.
Ch Supt Mark Dexter, of GMP, said: “This incident has undoubtedly affected numerous people in the Stalybridge area, with many residents displaced from their properties during the night.
“I would 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.”
It showed that a second supercell typhoon hit Morecambe Bay, Lancashire, a few hours later. The Met Office said the typhoon had a “strong swirling updraft,” suggesting “a tornado is likely to occur at the surface. “
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said they had faced winds of 80mph in some coastal spaces as they worked to reconnect customers.
As of Thursday evening, power had been restored to more than 40,000 homes, leaving about 3,000 homes without power, the company said. About 1,500 homes are expected to be without power until Friday, mainly in the northeast and Shetland Islands.
An SSEN spokesperson said: “The scale of the damage, the persistence of adverse weather situations and the difficulties in breakdowns due to falling trees, flooding and road closures mean that the full recovery of the network takes time. Some consumers in rural areas may not be able to receive the service. “for up to 48 hours.
Storm Gerrit also brought heavy rainfall, with the Great Langdale Valley in the Lake District recording 80mm, almost part of the same monthly rainfall of 178mm in December, the Met Office said.
The fastest recorded wind gusts so far were 86mph at Inverbervie, on the north-east coast of Scotland, 84mph at Fair Isle and 83mph at Capel Curig, north Wales, the forecaster said.
The Tornado and Typhoon Studies Organisation said a detailed investigation of the site would have to be carried out before it could verify that the damage at Tameside was caused by a rare British tornado.