Battered Britain struggles to cope with severe storm conditions

12 March 2008

Winds of more than 80mph battered Britain this week, causing sea walls to be breeched and roads blocked.

The gales first hit the Southwest in the early hours of Monday morning and moved north throughout the week. The seawall in Selsey, West Sussex, was breeched by large waves on Monday.

Low pressure struck at the same time as high spring tides, sucking up water even further. In Devon, 33 separate floods broke out, mainly on roads, while Cornwall fielded more than 1,000 calls to its emergency centre, largely related to fallen trees, flooded roads and sand and debris on the highway.

On Wednesday, the M6 had to be closed between junctions 20 and 21 because of the wind after a lorry overturned, and work is under way in Cumbria after a 12m chunk of the B5300 was washed away after water breeched the sea wall.

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Battered Britain struggles to cope with severe storm conditions

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