Dangerous 90 mph storm hits England

Dangerous hurricane-force winds topping 90 mph wreaked havoc in much of England and southern Wales Monday, stranding millions of commuters and air travelers. A 14-year-old boy was feared drowned in southern England after he was swept away by stormy seas Sunday, a few hours before the storm's full force hit, the Maritime and Coast Guard Agency said. The boy, in the small town of Newhaven in southern England, was playing with friends on a beach, the agency said. Trees were uprooted and roads were closed throughout the south and central parts of England as the storm worked its way northeast. No structural damage to buildings was immediately reported. Power lines were down throughout much of the southern half of the central England's Midlands area, the Daily Mirror reported. Britain's Meteorological Office, which said the storm's winds would likely lessen to 60 mph to 70 mph as the rainstorm crossed land, said the "sharp storm" would likely be out in the North Sea Monday afternoon, after dumping about 1.5 inches of rain by midday and creating chaos for millions of morning and afternoon commuters. The Environment Agency posted dozens of flood alerts across the storm's path. France, Belgium and the Netherlands reported high winds along English Channel coasts. The storm was dubbed the St Jude's Day Storm after the patron saint of depression and lost causes, whose feast day was Monday. Network Rail Ltd., responsible for most of Great Britain's rain infrastructure, said no morning commuter trains would go into London from the south because of the risk of fallen power lines or trees and track debris. All services in and out of the capital would be disrupted in the morning and delays were expected well into the evening rush hour, it said. Air travelers faced similar difficulties, with airlines at London Heathrow Airport canceling more than 100 arrivals and departures. Airlines at Gatwick and London Stansted airport also canceled flights, The Daily Telegraph reported. The government's Transport Department warned drivers not to use their cars unless it was an emergency. People were warned to stay away from shorelines.