Suffolk agencies respond to Storm Eunice challenges

Safety messages reiterated as more bad weather is forecast for Suffolk
Published: 21 Feb 2022

Suffolk’s councils, health bodies, utility companies and emergency services have been busy responding to the impact of Storm Eunice today - with work continuing to get Suffolk back up and running as soon as possible.

In total today:

  • Suffolk Police received 339 calls to 999 and 431 calls to 101 – 150 of these were weather related.
  • Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service attended 51 incidents
  • Suffolk Highways received 146 reports of fallen trees and road obstructions. 43 have been cleared, 12 are currently being tackled and 30 are scheduled. Teams will be working throughout the night
  • UK Power Networks is currently reporting 13,900 properties in Suffolk without power

Jon Lacey, Suffolk’s Chief Fire Officer and chair of the Suffolk Resilience Forum group coordinating the joint response to the storm, said:

Gale force winds have brought down trees, damaged buildings, closed schools, workplaces, roads and bridges and threatened public safety in Suffolk today. But despite this, first responders, carers, nurses, refuse collectors and community volunteers from a range of organisations in Suffolk have battled to rescue and support people in Suffolk so the county can get back on track. On behalf of the Suffolk Resilience Forum, I would like to thank them all. The weather conditions are likely to change this weekend and present new threats, so I would urge people to continue to follow the safety advice we are giving, especially when outside in the open. If everyone takes care of themselves and looks out for others, we’ll significantly reduce the risk of people being injured and speed up our recovery from Storm Eunice.

Safety advice given earlier today remains in place due to the amount of fallen debris and winds still affecting Suffolk. This weekend’s weather forecasts also predict rain, very cold temperatures and more high winds – so caution is being urged.

The public is being asked to play their part by:

  • Driving to the conditions, with debris and surface water expected
  • Reporting fallen trees and obstructions on roads and paths to Suffolk Highways on 0345 606 6171
  • Avoiding coastal areas due to an increased risk of erosion posing danger to life
  • Planning their journey well in advance and checking for travel disruption before leaving – the Orwell Bridge is currently closed in both directions and the rail network is currently suspended

With so much disruption to the county’s power supply, people are still encouraged to keep mobile phones fully charged, have torches to hand and if using candles or tea lights, ensure they are on a hard surface and not left unattended.

Further information on power cuts can be found at: www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/power-cut or by contacting UK Power Networks on 105. Damaged powerlines can also be reported to this number, as well as 999 if there is an immediate risk to public safety.

Suffolk residents can keep updated on the storm and subsequent disruptions by: