Storm Bert Triggers Widespread Power Outages Across East of England

Hundreds of residences throughout the East of England have experienced electricity disruptions as Storm Bert impacted the region. UK Power Networks confirmed it is actively working to reinstate power following “unplanned” service interruptions in various parts of Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk. These affected areas include 792 households in several villages located east of Stevenage, 695 properties to the south-east of Norwich, 600 dwellings north of Ipswich, and 348 homes in Horndon on the Hill, within Thurrock. UK Power Networks stated, “Engineers are working quickly and safely to repair damage to our network,” with expectations that the current issues will be resolved later on Sunday. The company further conveyed, “We apologise to those customers impacted, and we understand how difficult is to be without power.” They added, “Additional teams are on duty and our engineers are working hard to restore power.” In Suffolk, villages situated north of Ipswich, including Westerfield, Witnesham, and Coddenham, were among those affected. Further north in Suffolk, over 240 homes in Debenham and its surrounding communities, along with 86 homes along the A140 between Stonham Aspal and Wetheringsett, also experienced power loss. In Norfolk, 557 homes in Reepham and Cawston, and an additional 417 in villages between Aylsham and Coltishall, were without electricity. To the west of the county, engineers were engaged in restoring power to 368 homes located between Welney and Upwell, near the Cambridgeshire border. Updates concerning power cuts and estimated restoration times are available on the UK Power Networks website. For news specific to Suffolk, resources include BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. This content is Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC clarifies that it does not bear responsibility for the material found on external sites, and information regarding its policy on external linking is available.