Thousands of residents across Cornwall are facing a fourth day without essential services after Storm Goretti unleashed devastating winds of almost 100mph last week. The severe weather has left a trail of damage, with homes still lacking power and water, prompting calls for a major government response.
Widespread Disruption and Ongoing Repairs
As of Monday afternoon, National Grid reported around 1,250 properties remained without electricity, with the Helston area worst affected. The situation with water supplies is even more severe, with South West Water (SWW) confirming approximately 3,000 homes were still cut off. The company described the storm's impact on its network as "devastating," citing six major water mains severely damaged by uprooted trees near the Wendron treatment works.
SWW's Water Services Director for Devon and Cornwall, Sam Bottomley, explained that 30 to 40 trees were blown down directly onto critical infrastructure. While repair teams have restored supplies to over half of those initially affected, the scale of the damage means work is ongoing. The disruption has also forced 31 schools in Cornwall to either close or open late.
MP Demands National Emergency Declaration
The prolonged crisis has led Liberal Democrat MP for St Ives, Andrew George, to demand the government declare a national emergency. He argued that if a similar event had struck London or the Home Counties, the response would have been swift and headline news. His calls led to a meeting of the Emergency Ministerial Strategic Response Group, chaired by Defra minister Mary Creagh MP, on Sunday.
Mr George later criticised Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle for not granting him the right to call for an emergency debate, a privilege given to an MP representing East Grinstead in Sussex over water issues. "Over 50,000 homes have experienced water and/or electricity outages here," George stated, emphasising the scale in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly dwarfed other incidents.
He highlighted the significant impact on vulnerable people, including an incident where nursing home residents had to be evacuated after a roof was torn off and the home lost all utilities.
Community Impact and Tragic Consequences
On the ground, communities are pulling together. Janine Williams, landlord of the Blue Anchor pub in Helston, said her premises became a refuge. "We've had a lot of people coming in trying to charge their phones... people have had a warm place to sit," she told the BBC, though she noted their mains water had been cut off again after a brief restoration.
The storm also had a tragic outcome. Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed a man in his 50s was found dead after a tree fell onto his caravan in the Mawgan area of Helston on Thursday night. The death is not being treated as suspicious, and his next of kin have been informed.
With recovery efforts continuing, the focus remains on restoring basic services to all affected households and assessing the full cost of Storm Goretti's fury.
