Storm Darragh Triggers Flood Warnings and Electricity Outages

Strong winds associated with Storm Darragh caused power outages in Lincolnshire homes, and several flood alerts have been issued. The National Grid stated that 300 properties in Belchford and Fulletby lost electricity on Saturday night. It confirmed that engineers had restored power by Sunday afternoon. Christmas markets in Louth and Horncastle, which were scheduled for Sunday, were cancelled. Meanwhile, Santa runs in Grantham, Skegness, and Stamford were postponed until 15 December. As of 15:00 GMT, the Environment Agency had seven flood alerts active across the county. A Met Office yellow warning for wind was in effect until 18:00 GMT. On Saturday, Lincolnshire Police reported receiving approximately 100 calls related to Storm Darragh. The force noted that trees had blocked roads in the county, specifically in Skellingthorpe, Market Deeping, Holbeach, Old Leake, and Welbourn. Nick Wells, the organiser of the Stamford Santa run, indicated that Burghley Estates, the host venue, decided to close Burghley Park due to the risk of branches falling from trees. The event has been rescheduled for the following Sunday. The National Trust’s Belton Estate and the Walled Garden Baumber, located near Horncastle, were also closed on Sunday because of the high winds. Lincoln Castle was closed on Sunday to allow for the assessment of potential damage to the wooden structure of its gate, but the council expressed hopes for a normal reopening the next day. Highlights from Lincolnshire can be accessed on BBC Sounds, and the latest episode of Look North is available for viewing. The public is encouraged to share stories they believe should be covered. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external sites. Details regarding its approach to external linking are provided.