The Met Office has warned of potential power cuts in 54 areas across England on Friday as the blistering heatwave continues. An amber warning for extreme heat is in place from midnight until 11:59pm on Friday, covering London, the South East, East Midlands, East of England, North West England, South West England, West Midlands, and Yorkshire & Humber. The warning brings hot and humid conditions both day and night.
Risk of power cuts and service loss
The national weather forecaster has cautioned that the sweltering conditions could cause "heat-sensitive systems and equipment" to break down, resulting in "power cuts and the loss of other services to homes and businesses". The Met Office added: "Population-wide adverse health effects are likely to be experienced, not limited to those most vulnerable to extreme heat, leading to potential serious illness or danger to life."
Advice for residents
In the event of a power cut, the Met Office offers the following advice:
- If electricity is crucial for any medical equipment, contact your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) to be put on their Priority Register or to get assistance during any power outage.
- Make sure you have multiple torches along with extra batteries.
- Keep your mobile phone charged so you can make calls in an emergency.
- Keep fridges and freezers closed, with a blanket over them, as they will stay cold for many hours.
- Keep important documents safe and handy.
- Look out for elderly neighbours and ensure they are prepared for a possible power cut.
- Switch off appliances such as irons, ovens, electric fires, and fryers, as they could pose a hazard if the power comes back on when you are not there.
- For people using a digital landline who don't have a mobile phone, or who live in an area with poor or no mobile signal, speak to your communications provider about additional support.
Full list of affected areas
The 54 areas under the amber heat warning include:
East Midlands: Derby, Derbyshire, Leicester, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Rutland.
East of England: Bedford, Cambridgeshire, Central Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Luton, Norfolk, Peterborough, Southend-on-Sea, Suffolk, Thurrock.
London & South East England: Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Greater London, Hampshire, Kent, Medway, Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Reading, Slough, Surrey, West Berkshire, West Sussex, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham.
North West England: Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Greater Manchester, Halton, Merseyside, Warrington.
South West England: Gloucestershire.
West Midlands: Shropshire, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford and Wrekin, Warwickshire, West Midlands Conurbation, Worcestershire.
Yorkshire & Humber: North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire.
