NEWS: St. Jude Update Hits London and Southern Britain

St. Jude is upon us and we just wanted to make sure you've got some information to help you battle through the storm.

by Newsdesk | 28th October 2013

Richard Stephenson, Director of Corporate Affairs at AXA UK, comments on St. Jude storm, which is hitting many parts of southern Britian including London.

'Extreme weather in recent years, such as the Cumbrian floods in 2009, has resulted in hundreds of millions of pounds worth of damages and this storm is likely to cause widespread damage to property and local infrastructure.

'It is important that those people and households likely to be adversely impacted by these extreme meteorological events prepare themselves appropriately. AXA recommends the following actions in order to mitigate the dangers posed by the coming storm:

Put together an emergency kit in case you're stuck in your home - you could include waterproof clothes, non-perishable food, bottled water and any medication that you take

Have a battery-powered radio for local alerts

Keep your mobile phone fully charged - and make sure you have useful numbers that you may need

It's always a good idea to keep important documents, including insurance policies, upstairs in your home or at a high level, preferably in a waterproof container

Make sure you know how to shut-off gas, electricity, oil-fired heating and water, even in the dark

Sand bags, flood sacks, door guards and air brick covers can also stop or slow water getting into your home. A good DIY store should stock these items.

Please make sure your home is well maintained to prevent leaks as damage due to wear and tear may not be covered

There are currently 152 flood warnings in the UK according to the Environment Agency

Heathrow has a number of delays - you can check on Arrivals here and departures here

For the BBC travel news click here

If you've got updates please send to: newsdesk@thegayuk.com