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Surprise and shock as 100mph+ winds
batter UK
Photographs by Patrick Trollope
STORM Doris cause disruption across
Merseyside and much of the North West, with flights cancelled, trains delayed
and even the Port of Liverpool having to be shut down. As the storm blasted over
the UK, it sadly left 3 dead, 2 women and a male, and also Sadly a few
throughout the UK were left fighting for the lives after accidents due to the
gale.
As a direct result the public on Merseyside along with other parts of the North
West, England, were rightly advised to avoid any non-essential travel and stay
indoors if possible.
On Merseyside wind speeds topped 110mph at times, resulting in multiple
incidents of structural collapse of buildings. High winds and damp waterlogged
ground resulted in multiple reports of fallen trees, dangerous roof tiles and
signage amongst other things causing in travel chaos.
As we mentioned earlier, Peel Ports, who run
the Liverpool Docks, had to shut down all operations:- "Safety of all on
the site is our highest priority! We would like to thank everyone for their
understanding. We had no choice but to take this very unusual step and close
down our operations until the wind speeds had reduced, for the safety of our
employees, contractors and customers. We recorded gusts of over 100mph."
Safety concerns led to many bus services and also Mersey Ferries suspending
operations, adding to the disruption.
Co-op Insurance told us that:- "With the
impacts of Storm Doris being seen across the UK, we have received more storm
claims in 24 hours than we've seen in the whole of 2017. The Midlands was the
worst hit, seeing 39% of claims, followed by the North West at 23% and London
just 16%. Most of these claims are mostly low in severity with slipped tiles,
and property and vehicle damage due to falling trees and branches."
Jonathan Guy, Head of Claims at Co-op
Insurance, said:- "If you do have any neighbours who may need support,
check to see if they need your help. If your property has been damaged by the
bad weather, contact your insurer as soon as possible so that they can assess
the level of damage and make the necessary arrangements to deal with your
claim."
Amanda Stretton, Motoring Editor, at
Confused.com, said:- "This just shows us that type of weather requires the
most care and preparation if you're to stay safe. When the weather turns and
you're out in your vehicle, it can be tempting to put your foot down and drive
home as quickly as possible. However, powerful winds, wet roads and excessive
speeds spell trouble. Our research reveals a quarter of drivers have had an
accident or near miss on account of bad weather conditions. In particular,
drivers should be aware of the effect stormy weather will have on their driving
ability, with one in ten having lost control of their car and 40% having skidded
on account of troublesome weather conditions. As well as being more vigilant in
these conditions, drivers need to plan their journeys in advance. Leaving home
at least 10 minutes earlier, in order to prepare their car and drive carefully,
will help drivers to avoid that potentially dangerous mad rush to work and
reduce the likelihood of any accidents that could take place"
Now, how many of us did what Amanda suggested?
So let us know if this very fast moving storm affected you? Did the weather
conditions damage anything? Let us know via emailing us to:-
News24@SouthportReporter.com.
If you do have damage what should you do? Co-op Insurance said that:- "In
the 1st instance, look to secure your property, but don't tackle anything that
appears to be dangerous, such as going on the roof to check tiles. The advice is
to call an expert out to assess the damage before putting yourself at risk!
Secondly, contact your insurer's helpline, as they will be able to offer advice
and guidance on how to get the damages to your property repaired quickly. Damage
to the building will be covered by your 'Home Insurance' or in the case of a
business, your 'Business Insurance' provider. Damage to your possessions will
often be covered by your contents provider or stock insurance cover. Some
policies will cover both, so check to see. Provide your insurer with an accurate
report of what's been damaged and when it took place. Be sure to send your
insurer any receipts or photos you have for items that are damaged, as this will
help them evaluate the extent of the damage. Finally, keep hold of any damaged
items until your insurer has seen them, or has confirmed that they don't need to
see them, as they may be repairable."
If you have had to make a claim, again, please let us know what if you found it
easy or hard to do so?
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