UPDATE - Storm Goretti leaves tens of thousands without power, disrupts transport across UK amid new warnings

UPDATES WITH CALL FOR EMERGENCY MEETING, REMARKS FROM DOWNING STREET SPOKESPERSON

By Aysu Bicer and Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Storm Goretti continued to cause widespread disruption across the UK on Friday, leaving tens of thousands of homes without electricity and severely affecting air, rail and road travel, as fresh weather warnings were issued.

Around 57,000 households were without power early Friday, most of them in southwest England, including about 43,400 in Cornwall, as well as parts of the West Midlands, according to National Grid.

Repair crews worked overnight to restore supplies, but authorities warned that severe weather conditions were slowing efforts, Sky News reported.

Air travel was also hit, with British Airways canceling more than 50 flights at Heathrow Airport, mainly on short-haul routes. Several regional airports reported delays and temporary runway closures due to heavy snow.

Rail services faced major disruption, with Network Rail urging passengers in parts of England and Wales not to travel. Train operators reported extremely limited services across the Midlands and southwest England, while some routes were suspended entirely as tracks and stations were inspected for damage.

West Midlands Railway said it has suspended all services, while London Northwestern Railway said services between Birmingham New Street and Liverpool Lime Street were suspended until Friday afternoon. Services between Birmingham New Street and London Euston were reduced.

In addition, a number of East Midlands Railway services were affected by snow, with the operator saying the Hope Valley line between Sheffield and Manchester would be out of service during the day.

On the roads, sections of major motorways were closed after snow-related accidents, including parts of the M1, leading to long delays as authorities worked to clear vehicles and debris.

The Met Office said the storm brought wind gusts of up to 99 mph to the Isles of Scilly, along with heavy snowfall in central England and Wales.

Local authorities also reported widespread school closures, particularly in Scotland, as dangerous travel conditions persisted.

Emergency services across the UK urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and follow official guidance as Storm Goretti continued to affect the country.

Meanwhile, the Met Office issued a yellow warning for snow and ice covering most of Scotland, northeast and northwest England, the West Midlands, and Yorkshire and Humber, coming into effect on Sunday at 0200 GMT.

Yellow warnings mean people should expect possible travel delays, power cuts and a risk of injury from slips and falls, the weather agency said.

- Government urged to convene emergency meeting

The UK government has been urged to convene an emergency meeting of the Cobra committee in response to Storm Goretti, as parts of south-west England continue to experience disruption.

According to a report by The Guardian, Gideon Amos, the Liberal Democrat MP for Taunton and Wellington in Somerset, called for urgent action, saying: “The government’s Cobra committee must urgently be convened to ensure fast help is delivered across the region. The south-west is routinely overlooked by the government, but we cannot be ignored in this time of need.”

Downing Street said support measures were already in place for those affected by the storm, including households left without power.

A No 10 spokesperson said: “We have well-rehearsed plans in place for winter weather. We are currently working with teams from local authorities, the emergency services and other public bodies to respond to the disruption.”

The spokesperson added that a small proportion of customers remained without electricity.

“The latest data I have is that around 0.21% of British customers are without power. Engineers and staff are working to reconnect them as quickly as possible. The latest numbers I have is approximately 150,000 customers have had their power restored so far,” the spokesperson added.