Dudley, Eunice and Franklin, three names we wont forget in a hurry, names given to the storms and high winds which hit the UK with devastating consequences during this week and last. Apparently it’s the first time since 2015 that we have had three named storms arrive in the space of one week and what a week it’s been. The forecasters warned us all that something was on it’s way, they often get it wrong, but not this time, they were spot on but at least we had a small window of opportunity and had time to make remedial preparations before all hell let lose.
Compared to other parts of the country we seem to have come out of it pretty well on the whole. Locally, trees have come crashing down and with them have brought down numerous power lines, plunging the whole area into darkness, water supplies have been disrupted as a result and public transport has been badly affected but, seeing the news on Monday you have to feel for all those poor souls in other parts of the country, particularly in the north and in south Wales.
Severe flooding there has triggered a programme of evacuations with homes and property submerged in flood waters after rivers burst their banks with whole communities affected, but the emergency services and utility companies are doing what they can as soon as possible to get supplies restored but they themselves are often in danger, working 24/7 in atrocious conditions whilst ‘just doing their job’. Let’s not forget, while all this is going on, we are all still in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, surely life must start to get better soon?
In this article are a few photos which record some of the damage seen locally, most of them are of Peasmarsh and Camber, two areas which seem to have been hit worse than others but I’m sure many of our readers have similar photos of damage near them.
Opposite the Cock Inn a huge tree blocked half of the main road until it was cleared on Monday, and further down main street the community all pitched in together when we tackled a huge fallen tree which had also fallen across the main road – see the main photo. The police officer at the scene worked tirelessly to saw the branches off, helped by a community of locals and passing motorists until a tree surgeon arrived and towed the main trunk to the pavement before returning to cut it up later.
In Camber a Facebook video clip (but beware the language) shows a section of roof being torn off Pontins holiday camp while further along the road, scaffolders arrived at Camber Sands holiday park to build a scaffold tower around one of the main buildings on the campus to allow roofers to repair the damage to the roof ridge which had been torn off.
Returning to Peasmarsh and on driving along Starvecrow Lane I did a double take as nestled under one of the huge oak trees on the edge of a field was a ewe with her two newly born lambs sheltering near her (you need to look closely at the photo to see one of them) and I wondered what these two early arrivals must have thought when they awoke to their whole new world this week.
Thinking positively, it makes you realise that spring isn’t that far away now and as I began to drive home, over the next field I saw the rainbow photographed which was also a very welcome sight.
Image Credits: Nick Forman .
It’s certainly been a bit of a curate’s egg of a storm. Where I live and work in Peasmarsh, power has only been restored today (Thursday 24th), six days after Eunice, and within that period, there was no water either for two days. I know of many people who have had significant damage to fences, walls & roofs. All in all, for me, a salutary experience: I now have a sense of joy and wonder at the light actually coming on when I flick a switch. I’m sure it will pass. As a bonus, I’ve had the opportunity to give the empty fridge and freezer a good clean. I’ve also discovered I can heat water on my woodburner to make a cup of tea, within just one hour. Finally, it’s yet another event I can tick off my ‘national risk register government fail’ bingo card – I’m sure it won’t take long for the next one to come along.
Nick, I’m wondering why you think Weather Forecasters “often get it wrong”. In my experience, today’s forecasts are remarkable accurate. If you’re inclined there are, for example, any number of apps that will tell you almost to the minute what the windspeed, temperature and precipitation will be. I can’t recall the last time I saw/listened to a weather forecast only to find the prevailing conditions to be completely different!