Storm Gerrit wreaks havoc in the UK: high winds, heavy snow, and rain cause damage and power outages

Storm Gerrit wreaked havoc in the UK on Thursday, with high winds, heavy snow, and rain causing damage to houses, canceling trains, and leaving thousands of people without electricity. Workers faced wind speeds of 80 miles per hour in some coastal areas of Scotland as they tried to restore power that was cut off when falling branches and other debris hit utility lines. In Manchester, the storm caused a brief "localized tornado" which damaged homes, tore roofs from houses, and smashed cars with fallen trees.

The severity of the damage led Greater Manchester Police to declare a major incident, with some 100 properties evacuated overnight. However, no injuries were reported. The storm also caused widespread disruption to train services across Scotland, with travel on some lines suspended until a full inspection of the network could be carried out. Some roads in Scotland were also blocked by snow.

Heathrow Airport, the UK's main travel hub, canceled 18 flights due to air traffic control restrictions on domestic routes and flights to European cities like Barcelona and Berlin were also affected. Overall, Storm Gerrit left a trail of destruction in its wake, disrupting travel, causing property damage, and leaving thousands without power.