This is Hull and East Riding -- *EMERGENCY DECLARED - SECOND FLOOD ALERT FOR FRIDAY:* Emergency services and local councils are warning residents the worst is not yet over and expect further disruption on Friday morning. The services have described the situation as critical and have advised residents to take the messages being issued very seriously. Vehicles have been travelling the wrong way down the A63 in Hull, which has been causing issues for the emergency services as they look to try and help people who are affected by the flooding in the area. The current areas which have severe weather warnings in place includes Victoria Dock in Hull, Kilnsea, Goole, Hessle Haven to the Humber Bridge and any places close to the Humber Estuary. They will also be at risk in the early hours of Friday morning. It is anticipated high tide will take place at Bridlington at around 6am and move along the coast. A police spokeswoman said: "This will result in water levels being considerably higher than normal and breaches will be likely to happen. People should therefore not relax their current preventative measures and ensure that precautions are still in place. "The current places which have flooded will pose significant travel disruption during the day. So the message is simple, if you don't have to travel then don't." Parts of Hull were hit by flood waters on Thursday evening as were Hessle foreshore, Paull and Bridlington and residents were being evacuated. During an earlier press conference held by Gold Group - a contingency panel comprising members of the emergency services, the Environment Agency and councils – the full crisis was outlined. The most serious surges in 30 years are expected, said officials. Communities from Bridlington to Spurn Point are at potential risk of more flooding. It is believed 150 properties in Paull were at heightened risk. The Environment Agency began lowering Hull's tidal barrier at 4pm and the operation was completed by 4.30pm. It was thought to be holding back a surge of two metres of tidal water which could have affected thousands of homes in Hull. The water was only a few feet from breaching the huge barrier by 8pm. Innes Thomson, area flood and coastal risk manager for the Environment Agency, said: "We face two high tides at 7.45pm tonight and 8.15am tomorrow. These tides, at this time of year, produce a spring tide effect. "On top of that we have a very strong and complex weather system. That is pushing more water into the North Sea. That will cause a surge up and down the east coast." People are being urged to stay away from beaches, harbours and cliffs. He said: "Waves could wash people into the sea. They are capable of catching you unaware. Cliffs are subject to heavy erosion and could collapse without warning." Mr Thomson said periods 90 minutes either side of the high tides are the times residents should be extra vigilant. "The tide will come in," he said. "It will be a whammy. It will go out. Then it will be calm. But it will be back again in the morning." Den Saunders, deputy chief officer at Humberside Fire and Rescue, said priority will be given to high volume pumps, boats and rafts from as far afield as Greater Manchester have been moved into "strategic holding areas" ready to respond. He said: "We will respond to the aftermath of the flooding. Unfortunately, there is not anything we can do in advance. We are ready to respond to any situation that's thrown at us." Humberside Police assistant chief constable, Stuart Donald, said: "This is quite an extreme situation. We are looking at a number of potential risks to communities across the Humber region." Leisure facilities along the east coast are ready to act as respite centres as the East Riding Council puts its emergency plan into action after reports of some early flooding along the Holderness coast. An emergency control centre has been established in order to respond quickly to any flood incidents, with staff and equipment, including sandbags and pumping equipment, on standby at the council's depots ready to deploy, as required. The Agency and Met Office are warning that gale-force winds, large waves and a tidal surge caused by low pressure will combine with high tides today and throughout Friday and to Saturday morning, bringing a risk of significant coastal flooding and wave-topping. In our region, homes have been hit by power cuts, schools have closed, buildings and cars damaged by falling masonry , the M62 motorway was closed, trains and flights cancelled and flood alerts issued for coastal areas. Wind speeds of 68mph have been measured at Leconfield in East Yorkshire - one of the top wind speeds recorded in the Yorkshire area today. South of the Humber residents living in the areas of Immingham, Grimsby and Cleethorpes close to the River Humber and coast line have been advised to start taking precautions.
*A flood alert has been issued for the following areas:*
*• *The Humber Estuary from Hessle Haven to Faxfleet
*• *The Humber Estuary from Faxfleet to Saltmarshe
*• *The North Sea Coast from Mappleton to Spurn Point
*• *The Humber Estuary from Lords Clough to Hessle Haven, including the river frontage in Hull
*• *The North Sea coast from Barmston to Mappleton, including Hornsea
*• *The North Sea coast from Bridlington to Barmston
*• *The North Sea coast from Whitby to Filey, including Scarborough
The agency has also issued "flood warnings" for Bridlington's South Pier, Harbour Road and Floral Pavillion as well as Kilnsea and Easington. The Chicken Run Jetty and car parks off South Cliff Road are also affected. The warning, issued when flooding is "expected", is for this afternoon's tide between 4.45pm and 7.15pm. It is the second highest alert after the agency's "severe flood" warning. *The strong winds have caused schools to close and damage in Hull and across the region*:
*• *Around 4,000 homes in East Yorkshire have lost power due to the high winds.The worst affected areas have been Driffield, Bridlington, Nafferton, Skipsea, Hornsea, Shiptonthorpe, Pocklington, Hunmanby, Market Weighton, Holme-on-Spalding Moor, Goole, Brough, Sandholme, Gilberdyke and Newport.A spokesman for Northern Powergrid said: "Our engineers continue to work as hard as possible to restore power to customers hit by today's storm."
*• *A road was closed in east Hull after a roof was blown off and material was strewn into the street.The gable ends and roof of Humber Galvanising in Citadel Way caused extensive damage to the building earlier today. Police and fire services were called at 2.30pm and the road was closed to protect people from roofing material which was blowing into the road. The fire service helped secure the area and left the scene at 3.30pm
*• *East Riding Council's forestry team has had eight crews in operation acalled out to 64 incidents of downed trees, with two affecting the A1079 at Bishop Burton and the A164 near Beswick
*• *Sydney Smith Primary School in west Hull has been closed due to structural damage caused by the high winds. Cladding from the building has been blown off which staff felt could endanger the children. Pupils and staff were sent home at lunch time and the school will remain closed tomorrow. It should reopen on Monday
*• *Hornsea School and Language College closed to pupils at lunchtime today. The closure came into force after staff noticed tiles being blown off the roof on some of the site's older buildings. The school's community partnership co-ordinator Sally Richardson said: "We were concerned for the safety and welfare of the students and decided to send them home. Staff are still working in the school though. We're hoping that the winds die down by tomorrow and the students can return to school."
*• *Newbald Primary School has closed as electricity supply failed in the village
*• *Part of an industrial building collapsed off Clough Road, Hull sending huge chunks of brickwork and masonry onto two cars parked below.
*• *The Humber Bridge is now open to all traffic but there is a 30mph speed restriction in place
*• *The Ouse Bridge on the M62 near Goole was closed in both directions after a lorry overturned. Diversions were in place
*• *Natalie Hardy (Press Officer) for P&O Ferries said the departure of the Pride of York has been delayed until 10pm (from 7pm) at the moment. She said: "Because of the high water and winds and flood warnings, the lock has been closed meaning the boats can't move off. Only our Pride of York has been affected, it was scheduled to leave at 7pm but we are new expecting it to depart at 10pm, once the lock has been reopened. Passengers will be able to board as normal and use the facilities, so hopefully they won't notice any difference."
*• *Captain Phil Cowing, Harbour Master Humber, ABP said the Humber pilots had been temporarily suspended. "We have just got a bit of temporary disruption. The winds have got up to 50 knots, which is storm force 10, so in the interests of safety we have temporarily suspended the boarding and landing of Humber pilots. This was put in place at 2.30pm and we expect to lift it later this evening. We are keeping a close eye on things and once the wind and the seas conditions start to settle down ships can start moving again. "There will be slight delays for ships that can only move on high tide as they will miss the afternoon tide and will have to wait for tomorrow morning. This will only affect the big bulk carriers and the smaller ships that go up the Goole and Trent."
*• *Strong gusts have brought down a tree on the site of The Green Way Academy in north Hull
*• *High winds blew a tree down at Beverley Minster vicarage in Highgate. Rev Jeremy Fletcher, vicar at the Minster, said the 30ft silver birch came down at 11.15am today. He said: "Someone was close but no one was hurt."
*• *Beverley Road in Watton was blocked with delays at the Main Street junction because of a fallen tree
*• *Buttercrambe Road in Stamford Bridge is partially blocked with slow traffic northbound at the A166 junction because of a fallen tree
*• *The A164 at Leconfield was blocked with very slow traffic in both directions, between the Grange Road junction and the Arram Road junction, because of a fallen tree
*• *Yorkshire Wildlife Trust said Spurn Point would close at 3pm today following bad weather conditions forecast today. It will remain closed to visitors until the situation is reviewed at noon tomorrow
*Travel arrangements locally and to the north where the storm front is coming from have been hit:*
*• *All train services were suspended on lines east of Selby after 4.30pm
*• *There are currently no East Coast trains through Doncaster because of damage to the station caused by the wind. East Coast services to and from Leeds are currently suspended. These changes are expected to apply until the afternoon, but may continue depending on the weather conditions.
*• *Hull Trains say its services are delayed by up to an hour from Hull to London's Kings Cross as trains were running at a reduced speed on all lines. A spokesman said they hoped to resume a normal service as soon as possible but warned cancellations could be made at short notice.
*• *Humberside Airport cancelled today's KLM1497/8 flight due to the predicted high winds in Amsterdam
*• *A plane diverted to Newcastle due to strong winds was struck by lightning as it landed at the airport
*• *A lorry driver has died after his vehicle was blown on top of two cars in West Lothian by high winds which have swept across Scotland
John Curtin, the Environment Agency's Head of Incident Management, said: "Gale force winds and large waves along the east coast of England are forecast today and Friday, coinciding with high tides. "Impacts could include flooding affecting some coastal properties and communities. Coastal paths and promenades could be highly dangerous as there is an increased risk of being swept out to sea. People are warned to stay away from the shoreline. "The Environment Agency is monitoring the situation closely, working alongside partners including the Met Office and local authorities. Environment Agency teams are out on the ground confirming that flood defences are in good working order, monitoring sea levels and preparing to issue flood warnings if necessary." The Met Office has issued an "amber" warning for Yorkshire and Humber with widespread gusts of 60 to 70 mph expected in the area. Gusts could also reach 80mph in places. Winds will veer northwesterly and begin to ease during the afternoon, with the strongest winds becoming confined to eastern coastal areas by the evening. The outlook for tomorrow is cold but sunny with winds and possible snow showers soon easing. There will be patchy rain and hill snow early on Saturday but otherwise cloudier and less cold over the weekend, still with sunny spells.
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