UK Braces for More Storms and Power Outages as Herminia Follows Eowyn's Devastation

Britain Braces for More Storms and Heavy Rain

The UK is facing another round of heavy downpours and powerful winds as a new weather front named Storm Herminia hits the country. This comes just days after Storm Eowyn caused significant damage and disruption across the nation.

Cornwall bore the brunt of Herminia's arrival on Sunday morning, experiencing thunderstorms and winds reaching 82mph. The Met Office has issued numerous weather warnings for wind and rain that are expected to last until Tuesday, marking a turbulent start to the week for the UK.

With up to 80mm of rain anticipated in some areas, the Environment Agency has issued 167 flood alerts and 27 flood warnings as of Sunday evening. Natural Resources Wales has also issued 11 flood alerts, and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued two flood warnings.

These challenging conditions will further complicate recovery efforts following Storm Eowyn, which the Met Office described as the most powerful weather system to hit the UK in at least a decade. The storm uprooted trees, damaged buildings and rail infrastructure, and left over a million people without power.

Northern Ireland Electricity Networks reported on Sunday morning that over 100,000 of its customers remained without power, with an additional 14,000 SP Energy Networks customers in Scotland also facing blackouts. Following an emergency Cobra meeting, extra engineers were dispatched from England to Northern Ireland and Scotland to assist with power restoration, though full recovery could take up to 10 days.

The impact of Storm Eowyn has been described as "unprecedented" by Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill. Tragically, a second man was killed when his car was struck by a falling tree. Scottish First Minister John Swinney expressed condolences to the victim's family and friends.

Rail travel in Scotland remains significantly disrupted, with many routes still closed due to power failures and debris on the tracks. The challenging weather is expected to finally subside on Wednesday, but the Met Office warns of continued wet and windy conditions in southern parts of the UK over the next few days.