The MP for Truro and Falmouth has praised emergency workers tackling damage caused by Storm Goretti damage, while expressing concern that certain aspects of large-incident response need to be reconsidered in future.

Jayne Kirkham MP delayed returning to Westminster to get out to the most affected communities in her constituency. This morning [Monday, January 12], she visited Mylor and Carnon Downs, which remain without power. The National Grid has drafted in 450 specialists from across the country, plus tree cutters, to take on the immense challenge of getting Cornwall back on track.

"Cornwall has not experienced a storm of this severity in a very long time,” said Ms Kirkham. “Storm Goretti has caused widespread devastation, with significant damage across the duchy. Falmouth, Penryn, the surrounding villages and Truro have been among the hardest hit, with some areas left without power for days.

“Water has been lost in the west of the duchy. Fallen trees have blocked roads and, on the night of the storm, damaged homes, vehicles and power lines.

“I’ve been talking with National Grid and South West Water throughout to restore power and water as quickly as possible, and the teams on the ground have been absolutely fantastic. Tree removal, especially where power lines are involved, takes time but everyone is working tirelessly.”

Ms Kirkham added: “In times like these, we must come together. I’ve been heartened to see councillors, engineers, tree surgeons, and those running village halls responding to this emergency.”

She continued: “When this is all over, we will have to look at how we deal with large incidents like this storm - particularly focusing on priority lists of vulnerable people, how we work with those on them and how we collaborate with other agencies and the NHS more effectively.

“We also need to think about our communications. Relying on digital communications is fine when you have power, but without landlines and copper wires, people can be cut off very quickly when the power goes down, causing real problems."