Residents Asked to Avoid Travel as Storm Goretti Clean Up Continues

Published On: 9 January 2026Last Updated: 9 January 2026By CornishStuff

Residents across Cornwall are being asked to avoid travelling unless necessary as crews continue round the clock work following Storm Goretti.

The storm is being described as one of the worst seen in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in living memory, causing widespread disruption to roads, coastal areas and local infrastructure.

Roads blocked and routes still unsafe

There are multiple fallen trees across the Duchy, with teams deployed at numerous locations to reopen roads and make them safe. Driving conditions remain difficult, particularly where debris and damaged trees are still present.

Council teams have been working through the night alongside emergency services and partner organisations responding to incidents caused by the severe weather.

Power cuts affecting tens of thousands

At midday on Friday 9th January, around 35,000 homes were still without power. National Grid is working to reconnect all affected properties as soon as possible.

Water outage in Helston and the Lizard

A significant water outage is affecting the Helston and Lizard area, impacting around 15,000 properties. Bottled water is being provided to households while emergency repairs are carried out.

Schools and emergency services impacted

Many schools made the decision to open late or not open at all due to the risks associated with travel.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service is continuing to respond to unsafe structures and priority incidents, while also working through a backlog of triaged calls.

Bin collections still planned where safe

If your recycling, rubbish, food waste or garden waste is due to be collected, residents are being asked to put bins and bags out as usual. Crews will attempt collections where it is safe to do so.

Council response

Councillor Leigh Frost, Leader of Cornwall Council, said clean up operations were well underway but warned the scale of the damage means it is likely to take several days to fully resolve.

He said the focus is on making roads, footways and critical infrastructure safe as quickly as possible, adding that driving conditions remain treacherous and people should avoid travelling where possible to give crews space to carry out urgent repairs safely.

Where to get help or report issues

If you or someone else needs help in an emergency, call 999 for the police, fire service or medical emergencies.

For non emergencies, call the police on 101. For urgent but not life threatening health advice, or when GP surgeries are closed, use <a href=”http://111.nhs.uk” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>NHS 111</a> or call 111.

If you see someone in trouble on the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.