Massive flooding and damage caused by Storm Ciarán in the United Kingdom

Thousands of homes lost power as a result of Storm Ciarán’s extensive flooding and damage in the UK. Although the worst of the weather is now past, rain and strong winds are still predicted for some areas of the nation on Friday.

Wind gusts of over 100 mph were recorded in Jersey. For north-eastern Scotland on Friday and south-east England on Saturday, a yellow rain warning is still in effect. Apart from the 88 flood warnings mainly affecting the southern region of England, an additional 220 flood alerts are issued throughout the country.

As Ciarán moves away from the UK, he fills in and gets weaker but still blows quite blusterily in many places. Jersey schools are scheduled to reopen on Monday after being closed for a second day on Friday. On Friday, classes will resume on the nearby islands of Guernsey and Alderney. The storm damage at Jersey’s airport will also prevent commercial flights from operating there until Friday morning, at the latest.

Huge hailstones “bigger than golf balls” hit the island on Wednesday, forcing dozens of residents to spend the night in hotels. During “supercell thunderstorms,” residents of the Channel Islands faced frequent lightning, large hailstones, and the potential for a hurricane.

An emergency response is still ongoing in Downpatrick, County Down, while a recovery operation from flooding is underway in Newry and Newcastle, Northern Ireland. The Department of Infrastructure stated that until Friday, when river levels have decreased, it does not anticipate being able to begin working to lower the floodwater in Downpatrick.

When flooding was warned to be potentially fatal in Wales, residents of a caravan park were evacuated. Seven people have died in France, Madrid, Belgium, and the Netherlands, among other severely affected European nations.