October 27, 2013
England

Wind turbine brought down in high winds in Devon

BBC News | 27 October 2013 | www.bbc.co.uk

A wind turbine has collapsed in strong winds which swept across Devon on Saturday night.

No-one was reported injured after the 27m (89ft) high turbine came down in a field at Higher Rixdale Farm at Luton, near Teignmouth.

Forecasters are warning of heavy rain and hurricane-force winds on Sunday night and Monday in the South West.

Several ferries have been cancelled and there are concerns heavy rain could cause surface water flooding.

Brittany Ferries has cancelled the 16:30 GMT Sunday sailing from Roscoff to Plymouth and the 23:00 from Plymouth to Roscoff.

All crossings by the Scillonian ferry from Penzance in Cornwall to the Isles of Scilly on Monday have been cancelled.

Firefighters dismantled a small wind turbine from the roof of a house in Ilfracombe.

Devon and Somerset Fire Service received a call reporting a wind turbine “in a precarious position”.

The latest Met Office inshore weather forecast is predicting winds rising from force seven to severe gale nine, increasing to storm force 10 and violent storm force 11 later.

‘Be prepared’

The Met Office described the storm as not one “you would see every year”, and said the expected wind strengths would be similar to storms in March 2008, January 2007 and October 2000.

It has issued an amber warning, meaning “be prepared”, for the southern half of England and the southern half of Wales.

The Environment Agency has teams working to minimise river flood risk, clearing debris from streams and unblocking culverts.

A spokesman said: “We are supporting local authorities who will respond to any reports of surface water flooding.

“Seafronts, quaysides and jetties should be avoided due to the risk of overtopping by waves and wind-blown shingle.”

Brittany Ferries, which runs the Plymouth-Roscoff route, said on its website: “We are in the process of contacting all passengers booked on these sailings.

“We apologise for the inconvenience the cancellation of these services will cause.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/10/27/wind-turbine-brought-down-in-high-winds-in-devon/