Storm Claudia Unleashes Fury: Manchester Under Siege as Flood Warnings Issued, Travel Chaos Erupts

Storm Claudia brought severe weather to the UK, particularly impacting Greater Manchester and the North West with strong winds, reaching speeds of up to 60mph, and heavy, persistent rainfall. This led to widespread disruption, significant damage, and a series of flood alerts and warnings across the region.
The storm caused direct damage to properties, with a tree uprooting and falling onto a bungalow in Oldham. In Bollington, Cheshire, residents were evacuated after a tree fell on homes and brought down power lines, exacerbating the hazardous conditions. Commercial premises also faced issues, as demonstrated by the closure of part of the Elk Mill retail park in Oldham due to loose roof tiles, which required the intervention of the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) for around two hours to ensure public safety.
Transport networks experienced significant turmoil. Train and Metrolink services across the North West were severely disrupted by fallen trees on lines. Northern trains advised passengers not to travel on all services in the North West for Friday, November 14, stating that rail replacement buses would not be available and many routes, including those from Manchester to Wigan and Liverpool, would operate with reduced services or cancellations. Metrolink services between Piccadilly and Manchester Airport were suspended, and lines in Bury, Rochdale, Westwood, Newton Heath, and Moston faced problems, with repairs expected to take most of the weekend.
Public events were also affected by the storm. Lapland Manchester, a Christmas-themed attraction at Capesthorne Hall in Cheshire, was closed, and guests were evacuated as a precautionary measure due to high-speed winds and severe weather forecasts posing safety risks to the public. Visitors with tickets were advised to contact the company to reschedule their visits.
The region contended with a serious threat of flooding, prompting multiple alerts and warnings. The Environment Agency issued a flood warning, signifying expected flooding, for the River Mersey at Cheadle Wood and Ford Lane, with high river levels anticipated from 11 PM on November 14, 2025, peaking around 4 AM on Saturday morning. Residents in affected areas were urged to 'act now' and implement flood plans. Additionally, three flood alerts were in place for the River Mersey catchment (including areas near Tameside, Bramhall, Stockport, Sale, Altrincham, and Urmston) and the River Bollin catchment (covering Knutsford, Wilmslow, Macclesfield, and Bollington), indicating that flooding was possible in low-lying land and roads.
Emergency services were actively engaged throughout the storm. The GMFRS responded to 33 incidents classified as 'dangerous structures,' such as the situation at Elk Mill. The North West fire control center received 55 calls for other weather-related incidents, predominantly fallen trees, advising callers to contact their local councils for assistance. The control center reported a surge in calls, particularly from the north and east of Greater Manchester.
Regarding the weather outlook, an Amber warning for heavy rain was active until midnight, with Yellow warnings for rain continuing through the night until 6 AM in England and Wales, and until midday in Northern Ireland. A yellow weather warning for strong winds was also due to expire at midnight. Forecasters predicted that heavy rain would continue overnight before weakening in the early hours of Saturday, leading to increasingly lighter rainfall through Saturday morning and eventually turning drier into the afternoon and Sunday, although the risk of flooding was expected to persist.
Recommended Articles
Chaos Grips UK: Storm Chandra Unleashes Deadly Floods, Evacuations, and Travel Warnings

Storm Chandra has left a trail of disruption and severe flooding across the UK, notably causing evacuations in Dorset an...
Labour's Gorton and Denton By-Election Heats Up: Angeliki Stogia Faces Tommy Robinson Backlash

The Gorton and Denton by-election, triggered by MP Andrew Gwynne's resignation, sees a multi-party contest unfolding in ...
Gorton By-election Fury: Reform Candidate Ignites Controversy, Labour Unveils Long List
Matthew Goodwin, Reform UK's Gorton and Denton by-election candidate, faces scrutiny over controversial views on British...
Chaos on Tracks: Drunken Abandoned BMW Sparks Travel Mayhem

A drunken abandoned BMW caused two hours of chaos on Manchester’s Metrolink tram lines, suspending services and disrupti...
Bolton Tragedy: Four Dead After Head-On Collision on Wigan Road

Four men, including three teenagers and a taxi driver, die in a head-on collision on Wigan Road, Bolton. Emergency servi...
Storm Goretti Unleashes Chaos Across UK: Trains Halted, Warnings Issued Amid Severe Weather

Storm Goretti has battered the UK with severe snow, ice, rain, and winds up to 99mph, causing widespread power cuts, tra...
You may also like...
Super Eagles Fury! Coach Eric Chelle Slammed Over Shocking $130K Salary Demand!
)
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle's demands for a $130,000 monthly salary and extensive benefits have ignited a major ...
Premier League Immortal! James Milner Shatters Appearance Record, Klopp Hails Legend!

Football icon James Milner has surpassed Gareth Barry's Premier League appearance record, making his 654th outing at age...
Starfleet Shockwave: Fans Missed Key Detail in 'Deep Space Nine' Icon's 'Starfleet Academy' Return!

Starfleet Academy's latest episode features the long-awaited return of Jake Sisko, honoring his legendary father, Captai...
Rhaenyra's Destiny: 'House of the Dragon' Hints at Shocking Game of Thrones Finale Twist!

The 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 teaser hints at a dark path for Rhaenyra, suggesting she may descend into madness. He...
Amidah Lateef Unveils Shocking Truth About Nigerian University Hostel Crisis!

Many university students are forced to live off-campus due to limited hostel spaces, facing daily commutes, financial bu...
African Development Soars: Eswatini Hails Ethiopia's Ambitious Mega Projects

The Kingdom of Eswatini has lauded Ethiopia's significant strides in large-scale development projects, particularly high...
West African Tensions Mount: Ghana Drags Togo to Arbitration Over Maritime Borders

Ghana has initiated international arbitration under UNCLOS to settle its long-standing maritime boundary dispute with To...
Indian AI Arena Ignites: Sarvam Unleashes Indus AI Chat App in Fierce Market Battle

Sarvam, an Indian AI startup, has launched its Indus chat app, powered by its 105-billion-parameter large language model...