Over 100 homes have been destroyed in what has been described locally as a ‘tornado’ causing widespread damage in Stalybridge.
According to reports, storm Gerrit ripped through Millbrook and Carrbrook, as well as areas near the town centre, in the early hours of Wednesday, December 27.
The storm sparked a major emergency response, with police, fire and rescue services, electricity and Tameside councils all responding to scenes across the borough.
The worst hit area is thought to be Calico Crescent, Carrbrook Village, where residents have been forced to flee their homes and dozens of properties have been destroyed.
Millbrook has also been hit by the storm, with several trees falling into roads and onto cars, leaving residents in shock. Some were even seen carrying large pieces of lead flashing out of their wrecked cars.
According to Greater Manchester Police, those who have been left homeless have been asked to go to a nearby council building for help and advice. They have advised those who have been “displaced” to go to a branch of Greater Manchester Police, which is located just a short distance away from the council building.
Carrbrook Village’s Calico Crescent has been one of the hardest hit areas, with hundreds of properties being left in ruins.
Chief Superintendent Mark Dexter said that the “localised tornado” had had a huge impact on the Stalybridge community, with many people being forced out of their homes overnight.
He urged those who had been left behind not to go back or enter any properties that had been damaged until structural engineers could assess the damage.
The Tesco in Stalybridge acted as a central meeting point for emergency services, and after the storm subsided, chainsaws could be heard working on fallen trees in the area.
A supercell storm has passed through Greater Manchester, causing damage, according to the Met Office.
Our Dopplar radar shows that the storm had a powerful rotating updraft. We don’t have surface data yet, but the presence of this feature suggests that a tornado was likely to have touched down on the surface of the storm.
However, it is currently unclear if the freak winds were caused by a tornado, or by straight-line winds, until a more in-depth site investigation is done.
