Storm Jocelyn - live: Thousands remain without power after 97mph winds wreaked havoc across the country
Flights and trains cancelled across country as commuters urged to check their routes before starting journeys
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The UK and Ireland are reeling from the destruction of Storm Jocelyn whose 97mph winds caused major travel chaos and have left thousands without power.
Approximately 12,000 homes and businesses remain without power across the Republic of Ireland following storms Isha and Jocelyn.
Earlier on Wednesday, NIE Networks said power had been restored to more than 52,000 customers since Sunday evening in Northern Ireland.
However, 1,200 remained without power on Wednesday morning.
Rail services to and from Scotland have been suspended until at least noon today, with Network Rail Scotland saying it had dealt with incidents of flooding, fallen trees and a shed roof blowing onto a high wall above a track on Tuesday evening.
Avanti West Coast also told passengers not to travel north of Preston until at least noon on Wednesday.
It comes as the coastguard launched an urgent search on Tuesday evening following reports of a person in the sea in Porthcawl, south Wales.
The alarm was raised just before 6pm but after several hours of searching in the treacherous conditions, the search was suspended in the early hours of Wednesday before it resumed as light returned.
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EasyJet passengers ‘bounced around like a washing machine’ during storm flight
Petrified easyJet passengers were left stranded in Birmingham after their flight from Lyon had to make a last-minute emergency diversion due to Storm Isha.
Aine Morris, 39, was travelling from Berlin to Bristol via a connecting flight from Lyon yesterday at 4pm local time.
Ms Morris, a well-versed flyer, knew Storm Isha was coming but thought she would swerve the disruption as the weather warning in place started shortly after her flight was supposed to land in Bristol at 6pm.
The global exports manager of tea brand Wilden Herbals says the flight passengers “bounced around in the air like a washing machine” as the pilot battled through intense turbulence.
They attempted to touch down in Bristol but at the last moment the pilot realised it was too dangerous and redirected them towards Birmingham Airport, where they became stuck on the plane for 4.5 hours.
Read the full story here...
EasyJet passengers ‘bounced around like a washing machine’ during storm flight
Chaos unfolded last night after dozens of passengers were left stranded in Birmingham with no alternative travel
Watch - Storm Isha forces flights between Britain and Ireland to divert to France and Germany
Watch: Storm Isha forces Britain and Ireland flights to divert to France and Germany
Storm Isha continues to cause travel chaos today (22 January) with flights diverted between Britain and Ireland. Two Ryanair flights bound for Dublin, one from Lanzarote in the Canary Islands and the other from Manchester, were forced to take lengthy detours to Bordeaux and Paris. They had both flown to the Irish capital but aborted their approaches to the runway in gale-force winds. Storm Isha has battered the UK with gusts of up to 99mph. The Met Office has issued several weather warnings, including two amber wind alerts and a rare red warning in northern Scotland.
Storm Jocelyn moves away from UK
Met Office says winds will gradually ease from the south as Storm Jocelyn moves away from the UK today,
Cloud and outbreaks of rain will move north east with brighter conditions tomorrow and on Saturday, but frequent showers in the north.
“It’s not going to be quite as stormy, although it is going to stay unsettled for the next few days,” says Aiden McGivern, meteorologist at Met Office.
Watch - Ryanair flight battles Storm Jocelyn in bumpy landing at Leeds Bradford airport
Long-term protections and preventions needed before future storms, MPs say
Long-term protections and preventions should be put in place before future freak weather events, MPs said.
Storm Isha and Storm Jocelyn have brought disruption and power cuts across the UK in recent days and resulted in the deaths of four people in Britain and Ireland.
SNP MP Kirsty Blackman said she wished the Government “would take climate change more seriously given the incredible amount of extreme weather events”.
Meanwhile, shadow Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden called for the set-up of a standing taskforce to build up long-term protections.
Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart insisted the Government had learned lessons from past storms.
As he raised an urgent question, Mr McFadden said: “Our constituents around the country have been hit by widespread damage, flooding, power outages, cancellation of flights, ferries and trains, and in the most tragic circumstances a reported four people have lost their lives.”
Today’s weather forecast
Cloud and rain will move northeast across the UK with the west experiencing heavier downpours.
The Met Office predicts the weather will be mild but windy with some bright spells.
More than 12,000 customers still without power after storms
Approximately 12,000 homes and businesses remain without power across the Republic of Ireland following storms Isha and Jocelyn.
The areas most affected are predominantly in counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo, Cavan and Longford.
During the worst stages of the stormy spell, more than 235,000 customers were without power.
Irish electricity supply company ESB said significant progress has been made over the last 48 hours.
Crews are working through faults on the low voltage network that have primarily affected single homes and small clusters of customers.
It said all available company and contractor resources have been deployed, with additional crews arriving from the UK on Wednesday evening.
More than 50 skilled personnel from the UK National Grid Electricity Distribution and UK Power Networks will be deployed in the worst-affected areas from Thursday morning.
EasyJet passengers ‘bounced around like a washing machine’ during storm flight
Petrified easyJet passengers were left stranded in Birmingham after their flight from Lyon had to make a last-minute emergency diversion due to Storm Isha.
Aine Morris, 39, was travelling from Berlin to Bristol via a connecting flight from Lyon yesterday at 4pm local time.
Ms Morris, a well-versed flyer, knew Storm Isha was coming but thought she would swerve the disruption as the weather warning in place started shortly after her flight was supposed to land in Bristol at 6pm.
The global exports manager of tea brand Wilden Herbals says the flight passengers “bounced around in the air like a washing machine” as the pilot battled through intense turbulence.
They attempted to touch down in Bristol but at the last moment the pilot realised it was too dangerous and redirected them towards Birmingham Airport, where they became stuck on the plane for 4.5 hours.
Read the full story here
EasyJet passengers ‘bounced around like a washing machine’ during storm flight
Chaos unfolded last night after dozens of passengers were left stranded in Birmingham with no alternative travel
HM coastguard’s warning to storm seekers
As conditions improve across the coastlines, the coastguards sends a warning to those walking out in the winds.
Matt Atkinson, HM Coastguard divisional commander for the north of England, said “Storms might look incredible, but the perfect selfie is never worth risking your life for.”
Doran added: “It is not worth risking your life. If you have children with you, make sure they’re aware of the risks too, and that they stay with your group well back from the water’s edge.
“Cold water shock is a very real danger for anyone entering water that is 15 degrees Celsius or below and at this time of year, we can expect temperatures of 6 to 10 degrees Celsius,” he said.
If you find yourself in trouble unexpectedly in the water, remember to ‘Float to Live’ – “Lie back in the water, extend your arms and legs and try to relax as best as you can until you get control of your breathing,” he explained.
“Remember, if you see someone else in danger in the water, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard if by the coast. If you have something that floats that they can hold on to, throw it to them. Don’t go in the water yourself – you may end up in difficulty too.”
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