Storm Darragh Causes Widespread Disruption and Damage Across Southern England

The south of England is currently experiencing travel disruptions, road closures, and power outages due to strong winds as Storm Darragh moves across the region. A wind gust of 77.2mph was recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, and 62.6mph hour at the Southampton Oceanography Centre. Thousands of homes throughout Oxfordshire and Hampshire have been affected by electricity cuts. Train services have been interrupted on Great Western Railway (GWR) and Chiltern Railways. South Western Railway (SWR) has issued a warning that there are no services operating between Weymouth and Poole. The A34 near Winchester has been closed from junction 9 to the junction with the A272 at Three Maids Hill since 22:30 GMT on 6 December. National Highways stated that this closure is for the purpose of clearing trees at risk of falling onto the carriageway. Sean Martell, head of service delivery in the South East, commented, “Operatives doing that work will be working at strict standards and that’s why it’s going to be difficult to give an exact timeline for when we think we might complete that work.” Additionally, fallen trees have inflicted damage upon homes, public buildings, and vehicles. SSE reported that its Southern network has been impacted by the gale-force winds, with effects expected to persist into Sunday. The company’s website indicates that over 2,500 residences across Oxfordshire, Dorset, Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight are currently affected. A resident living near Romsey mentioned that her family had been without power for a couple of hours. “It keeps flicking on and off,” she stated. She also advised, “I wouldn’t advise anybody to go outside – I got blown sideways just having a look to see how strong it was.” There have been no reports of major incidents across Oxfordshire, but the county council cautioned that river levels remain elevated following recent rainfall. GWR and Chiltern Railways have urged customers to “avoid travel if possible.” Cross-Solent ferry crossings are experiencing delays and cancellations. Wightlink Ferries confirmed that it is operating on both its Portsmouth-Fishbourne and Lymington-Yarmouth routes, though some Portsmouth-Fishbourne services might face delays of up to two hours. The operator announced that passengers who prefer not to travel today can amend or cancel their bookings without incurring a charge. Red Funnel ferries, which operate between Southampton and East Cowes, have suspended their services until further notice. Many community and festive events, such as the Wantage market, are being postponed or cancelled. Football cancellations include Oxford United’s away fixture against Plymouth Argyle, Banbury United’s match versus Ketteting, and the FA Trophy game between Yeovil and Weymouth. All boys’ and girls’ matches in Oxfordshire have also been called off. The Met Office issued a yellow wind warning, which is valid until 18:00 GMT on Sunday. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.