Dead Girl Found After UK Storms, Brother Missing
Date: 14-Jan-05
Country: UK
LONDON - The body of a five-year old girl missing after severe storms hit northern Britain earlier this week was found on Thursday, but the search continues for her older brother, police said.
The bodies of Hannah MacPherson's parents Archie and Murdina MacPherson and her grandfather Calum Campbell were found on Wednesday after air, sea and land searches around the island of Benbecula in the Western Isles of Scotland.
The family got into difficulties two days ago when they tried to escape flood waters, caused by severe storms which swept across the country with winds gusting over 100 miles per hour, police said.
"We are appealing for help from the public in looking for seven-year old Andrew and so far there has been a great response," a spokeswoman for Northern Constabulary said. The search will resume at first light on Friday.
At least three other deaths have been blamed on the storms, which ravaged northern Britain and Ireland this week. Thousands of people suffered power cuts and parts of the city of Carlisle were badly flooded.
The coastguard said it had lost contact with a Spanish fishing boat carrying 19 crew that was last heard from about 120 miles off the Scottish coast.
In Northern Ireland's second city, Londonderry, a man was killed when the vehicle he was driving was blown off a bridge and plunged 100 ft (30 metres) onto a riverbank.
A second driver was killed in eastern Scotland when a lorry rolled onto his car. The bad weather was also blamed for a third death in Dundee, Scotland.
Scottish Hydro Electric said 60,000 people had lost power and repairs were being delayed by the ongoing dangerous weather conditions, which brought heavy rain and snow to some areas.
With possible widespread damage to trees, structural damage to buildings and coastal flooding at high tides, the Met office has warned motorists and others to avoid all unnecessary travel.
"Driving conditions will become extremely dangerous. High-sided vehicles could be easily overturned, especially if unladen," it said in a warning for northern Scotland.
The severe weather followed fast on the heels of a lashing storm that killed three people, overflowed rivers and caused widespread damage to parts of northern Britain at the weekend.
On Thursday the Met Office said most areas of Britain were enjoying dry, sunny weather with light winds.