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Channel Islands clean up after Storm Goretti

Lisa YoungChannel Islands
News imageGuernsey Fire and Rescue Service A car has been crushed by a fallen tree. It is night time and there is a fire fighter standing nearby. A house is behind the tree. There is incident tape wrapped around the car and tree.Guernsey Fire and Rescue Service
Jersey Electricity said power would be restored to all customers on Saturday

Residents in the Channel Islands are still facing problems after Storm Goretti brought wind speeds of 95mph (154km/h) on Thursday night.

Jersey Electricity (JE) said it expected all customers to have power by Saturday after teams had responded to 80 faults caused by the storm which interrupted supplies to about 400 customers.

Guernsey Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) said crews had responded to 50 incidents during the peak of the storm on Thursday night and had evacuated 48 islanders.

About 100 trees were brought down across Guernsey and more than 80 in Jersey. On Saturday, Jersey's Infrastructure and Environment (IE) said 47 incidents remained and people were advised to avoid wooded areas.

News imageA large tree has fallen across a road. There are buildings in the background.
Infrastructure and Environment said it would take a few weeks to clear the debris around the island

An IE update said 20 sites still needed to be checked for safety and there were four significant tree-related incidents which teams were working with contractors to resolve.

The committee advised drivers to "travel with care" as the clear-up of minor debris would continue over the next few weeks.

It said there were still four significant tree-related incidents and Howard Davis Park remained closed as five large trees had been brought down in the storm and posed a potential danger to the public.

GFRS reported the majority of the incidents on Thursday night had been calls for assistance, including fallen trees impacting properties and vehicles, blocked roads, structural damage, along with the activation of automatic fire alarms.

A spokesperson for the service thanked the agencies who had helped the island manage the major incident and the public for heeding safety advice.

News imageLihou Charity LBG A window frame is left splintered with smashed and missing glass. The view looks to the sea.Lihou Charity LBG
Lihou Charity LBG asked people if they could help to repair the storm damage sustained at its house

On Saturday, the Lihou Charity LBG appealed for help with repairs as it said the house it runs on Lihou Island as a retreat had sustained significant damage in the storm.

A spokesperson said a large number of tiles had been ripped from the roof, the dormers had been damaged and there had been water intake.

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