Storm Eunice: Trees fall on houses and cars and roofs ripped off as South Yorkshire counts cost of damage
After Met Office forecasts that the worst of the storm would hit by 3pm yesterday, residents may have thought they had been spared the promise of 62mph winds hitting the county.
But instead, the gales arrived towards 5pm, and many residents are now counting the cost.
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Hide AdResidents have reported damaged roofs, falling trees and flying debris causing havoc across the region.
It is not yet know if anyone has been injured by the storm, which brought with it an Amber weather warning that meant there was a “good chance” of danger posed to life.
At least three deaths were confirmed across the UK yesterday; a woman in her 30s in North London was crushed by a falling tree while in her car; a man in his 50s died in Merseyside after debris struck the windscreen of a vehicle he was travelling in and a man in Ireland was also killed by a falling tree.
In Sheffield, the worst of the damage came at 5pm when the rain and winds were at their highest.
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Hide AdCustomers had to be ushered out the doors at the Aldi supermarket on St Mary’s Gate after winds blew a piece of the roof away. Staff could not say when the store would reopen.
On Myrtle Road, Heeley, a dramatic video by resident Amy Palmer showed how an approximately 40-ft tall Eucalyptus tree in a resident’s front garden toppled in the wind and nearly entirely blocked the junction with East Bank.
Another tree came down in Archer Road and was tackled by the council’s Streets Ahead team. The gritter team was also out overnight on priority routes.
Community groups on Facebook also reported trees crashing to earth on Slayleigh Lane in Fulwood and on Ringinglow Road.
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Hide AdTrains were unable to run from Chinley towards Sheffield due to a tree blocking the line. It came after millions of people were advised to cancel their train journeys by rail providers.
On the roads, the M1 was closed for over an hour between Wakefield and Morley after two lorries overturned in the high winds.
It caused further chaos for the motorway, which also saw the Tinsley Viaduct shut to high sided vehicles from around 5pm to prevent them being exposed to 60mph winds.
Residents in Doncaster were particularly hard hit.
A shocking video was shared by one resident showing how a roadside tree on Ward Avenue had crashed through a resident’s fence and landed squarely on their house, causing severe damage.
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Hide AdFurther photos across community Facebook groups reported power outages, a loss of running water, and flying debris crashing into properties.
Residents in Wheatley claimed they lost running water from around 5pm. Trees fell in Cantley, Rossington, Lakeside, as well as on Doncaster Road outside the Owston Pub.
There were also unconfirmed reports of a tree falling on trail lines in the Armthorpe area, with residents hearing ‘three loud bangs’ at around 5.10pm.
The tail end of Storm Eunice was forecast to abate by 3am today, but the Met Office has warned that bad weather is still on the cards today.