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CNN Today

Worst Storm in Years Brings Chaos to Britain

Aired October 30, 2000 - 2:55 p.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

LOU WATERS, CNN ANCHOR: The worst storm in a decade sweeps through Britain leaving flood damage, thousands without power, airports and ground transportation paralyzed, at least seven dead. Wales and southern England are hardest hit.

And here's CNN's Margaret Lowrey with our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARGARET LOWREY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Britain's worst storm in more than a decade brought chaos. Severe flooding in parts of the south obliterated huge chunks of the countryside. In the holiday town of Selsey, gale-force winds damaged mobile homes. Everywhere downed trees blocked roads, sections of major motor ways closed, and in some places, those that didn't, were snarled with traffic.

ARCHIE ROBERTSON, BRITISH ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCY: There was a lot of water on the roads and in the countryside, generally, so that is hazardous for travel.

LOWREY: Not just hazardous, impossible in some parts of the country. Train service had to be canceled in some places, leaving thousands of people stranded.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was on the 7:48 to Birmingham New Street and it's been canceled.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll have to get the next one. Whatever time that may be, I don't know.

RICHARD FEARN, RAILTRACK: The terrible weather that we've had overnight right across the midlands, I think the southwest and the southeast as well, has brought down trees across the line, has brought down the overhead power cables that provide the power to the trains.

LOWREY: In London, that meant shuttered shops and streets nearly deserted by downtown London standards, with some tube lines out of service. At Heathrow, high winds grounded planes. British Airways canceled dozens of flights. The port of Dover was forced to close overnight, leaving six passenger ferries stuck off the coast of Kent, unable to dock until morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was frightening at times. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were petrified. I didn't think we were going to make it at one point.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are things getting better?

JOHN HAMMOND, ITV WEATHER FORECASTER: Slow improvements at the moment, yes.

LOWREY: Even with a predicted break in the weather, authorities here were taking no chances, and, perhaps a case of stating the obvious, warning those traveling by land, sea or air, to check connections before they leave home, or, if possible, not to travel at all.

Margaret Lowrey, CNN, London.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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