Storm Ciara has hit the UK with gale force winds of up to 90 mph, according to the Met Office. Across the country there has been disruption, including in Orpington.
On Juglans Road, located in the heart of Orpington by the Walnuts Leisure Centre and just off of Orpington high street, a tree has fallen down. The tree did not fall in the road or the pavement so neither cars nor pedestrians were disrupted.
However, on Lynwood Grove, a fallen tree has completely blocked the road. Currently, Lynwood Grove is not accessible to vehicles, only pedestrians. The fallen tree has been reported to local authorities and action to clear the road by removing the tree is expected to happen soon. Fortunately, no one has been injured by either of these incidents.
There have been other sightings of damage in Orpington including fallen fences, brick walls, bins, signs, damage to roadworks on Tubbenden Lane and flooding in Lidl car park in Locksbottom. People have been advised by the Met Office to take care if going out in this weather as Storm Ciara has triggered amber weather warnings.
One eye witness to the fallen tree and a local resident of Orpington (who preferred to remain anonymous), has described the weather conditions as “absolutely appalling”, saying that “I’ve never seen any weather quite like this in my life. I feel so bad for those poor trees and for the people severely affected by Storm Ciara.”
Storm Ciara is predicted to be the worst storm to hit the UK since the Great Storm on 1987, in which at least 22 people were killed. However, with climate change worsening, such extreme weather, like Storm Ciara, will be become more and more frequent.
By Caitlin Mainwaring
