Storm Bert Strikes UK And Ireland, Brings Extreme Flooding And Travel Chaos

Storm Bert has wreaked havoc in parts of Ireland and Britain, causing severe flooding and widespread disruption. Dramatic events occurred in Donegal as rushing waters caused streets like Bridge Street to become rivers, raising worries about public safety.

Translink, a public transport company in Northern Ireland, warned customers to prepare for “severe disruption” and look for alternate travel alternatives as a result of the massive damage to Northern Ireland’s railway infrastructure. The storm’s effects highlight the region’s continued vulnerability to severe weather. 

Storm Bert left at least 60,000 properties in Ireland without power and closed roads and some ferry and train routes on both sides of the Irish Sea.

STORM BERT HITS UK AND IRELAND 🇮🇪🇬🇧 #StormBert

– 60,000 Irish homes and businesses lose power
– Flooding in Donegal, Ireland, makes roads impassable
– Train routes suspended in Scotland
– Weather warnings issued in the UK for wind, snow, and ice
– “Status red” warning declared… https://t.co/360k9U5jHz pic.twitter.com/TwGJdRI8D5

— Weather monitor (@Weathermonitors) November 23, 2024

Media footage showed flooding in the west of Ireland, while floods prompted rail closures in Northern Ireland and snow impacted travel across Britain. 

The heaviest snow hit Scotland and parts of northern and central England, with dozens of flood alerts in place.

The UK Met Office issued warnings for snow and ice for those regions, warning there was a “good chance some rural communities could be cut off.”.

Scottish hills could see up to 40 centimetres (16 inches) of snow, while winds approaching 70 miles (113 kilometres) per hour were recorded in parts of Britain. 

Ferry operator DFDS cancelled services on some routes until Monday, with sailings from Newhaven and Dover in southern England to Dieppe and Calais in France severely affected.

Flights were disrupted at Newcastle airport due to heavy snow, with some flights diverted to Belfast and Edinburgh.

Met Eireann, the Irish National Meteorological Service, had also issued a yellow warning for “very strong winds and heavy rain.”

The worst impacted areas for power outages in Ireland were in western and northwestern counties, according to ESB Networks, which runs the country’s electricity system.

“Crews and contractors are deployed and restoring power in impacted areas where it is safe to do so,” it said.

More than 4,000 properties across Britain were without power by mid-Saturday-the majority in southwest England-with the National Grid operator saying power had been restored to “many homes and businesses.”

(With inputs from AFP)