Cornwall Battered by Storm Éowyn and Herminia: Hundreds of Emergency Calls as Crews Work Around the Clock

Cornwall faced a weekend of chaos as Storm Éowyn and the remnants of Spanish-named Storm Herminia swept through the region, bringing strong winds, heavy rain, and intense thunder and lightning. The extreme weather triggered hundreds of emergency calls and left a trail of damage across the county, including a rare mini tornado in Quintrell Downs, near Newquay, which uprooted trees and damaged homes.

Emergency response teams were inundated with calls from Friday afternoon to Monday morning. Cormac’s Highways team alone handled 183 incidents, with approximately 100 cases involving fallen trees blocking roads and over 50 related to flooding. On Monday, crews were still tackling a backlog of 380 reported issues as part of the ongoing clean-up operation.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service also reported a busy weekend, attending around 30 weather-related incidents. Among these was a house fire caused by a lightning strike and multiple flooding emergencies.

Speaking on the response efforts, Councillor Martyn Alvey, portfolio holder for Environment and Climate Change at Cornwall Council, praised the dedication of staff and partners. “We’d like to say thank you to our staff and partners who responded to incidents over the weekend. It has been a very busy time, and they do an amazing job keeping Cornwall’s communities safe.”

Kate Kennally, Chief Executive of Cornwall Council, echoed the sentiment, extending gratitude to emergency teams working tirelessly to address the damage. “Teams from Cormac, Cornwall Council, and Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service have cleared roads, dealt with flooding, responded to dangerous structures and trees, and provided advice and support to households who lost power. We are very grateful to all of our staff, and our colleagues in other emergency services, who are working to keep us safe.”

Steve Bayley, Cornwall Highways Network Manager, highlighted the resilience and teamwork displayed during the crisis. “I’m genuinely grateful for the commitment shown by our teams in keeping our communities safe in such challenging conditions. Their hard work shows the importance of teamwork and resilience when dealing with emergency situations and extreme weather events.”

The clean-up operation is ongoing as Cornwall braces for the possibility of further unsettled weather. Residents are encouraged to stay vigilant and take precautions against flooding. For advice on protecting homes and businesses from flood damage, visit the Be Flood Ready website.