Communities across southern England are expressing fury and feeling abandoned in the wake of Storm Goretti, which unleashed destructive winds, heavy snow, and torrential rain last week. The severe weather has left a trail of devastation, resulting in prolonged power and water cuts, significant property damage, and a tragic loss of life.
Widespread Devastation and a Fatal Blow
The storm's impact was both extensive and deadly. In Cornwall, more than 30,000 properties were plunged into darkness, with some residents, including vulnerable pensioners, enduring almost five days without heating, lighting, or working telephones. Fallen trees blocked crucial access roads, hampering recovery efforts.
Tragically, the storm claimed the life of 50-year-old James Southey in Mawgan, west Cornwall. The "gentle giant," as described by his family, was killed when a tree fell onto his caravan during the storm's peak. On the iconic St Michael's Mount, hurricane-force winds tore dozens of trees from the ground, while in Paul Cemetery, near Mousehole, uprooted trees caused heartbreaking damage to graves.
A Crisis of Essential Services
While the National Grid has now restored power to all affected customers in the south-west, a parallel crisis continues elsewhere. Around 17,000 properties in Kent and Sussex remain affected by major water outages, with some residents now entering a fifth day without supply. South East Water has blamed the situation on burst pipes and power cuts caused by Storm Goretti.
The company has established bottled water stations and is deploying tankers to support hospitals and care homes. However, the water regulator, Ofwat, has voiced concern and stated it will review whether the utility met its legal obligations to customers during the incident.
Residents Feel Ignored in Recovery Struggle
As the clean-up begins, a strong sense of being overlooked has emerged among those worst hit. Linda Williams, 86, from Cornwall, spent days in a cold, dark home, reliant on neighbours for hot meals and flasks of water. "I feel vulnerable," she said, highlighting the anxiety felt by many isolated elderly residents.
Local politicians have echoed these frustrations. Andrew George, MP for St Ives, described residents as "traumatised" and "disappointed" by the official response. He cited critical failures, including a promised generator that never arrived for a nursing home left without power or water, and another care home where a collapsing roof forced the urgent evacuation of 11 patients.
Juliet Line, a local Liberal Democrat councillor, summed up the local sentiment: "The lack of national attention has been frustrating. Staff at the council and local people are working so hard but the scale of the problem is massive."
Further Weather Warnings Issued
As communities grapple with the existing damage, the Met Office has issued a fresh yellow weather warning for rain across southern England. Up to two inches of rain is forecast from 9am until 10pm tomorrow, raising fears of surface water flooding and further travel disruption.
The aftermath of Storm Goretti underscores the vulnerability of infrastructure and the human cost of extreme weather events, with calls growing for a more robust and swift emergency response to prevent such widespread suffering in future crises.
