Isle of Man storm damage bill could run into 'millions'

Many drivers were forced to abandon their vehicles after becoming trapped in Douglas

The repair bill for storm damage on the Isle of Man could run to "many millions of pounds", said a government minister.

A clean-up operation is expected to take several weeks after storm force winds and heavy rain caused flooding and landslides on Thursday.

Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne MHK said "investigations are ongoing" to assess the full extent of the damage.

The minister also praised the response of government staff and community volunteers during the storms.

He said: "Our staff were out in the worst of the weather, working round the clock. It was a real community effort."

Many homes and businesses were flooded as well as government buildings including the National Sports Centre which was "extensively damaged."

Safety preparations are under way ahead of plans to remove a double decker bus in Laxey

A double-decker bus fell into the Laxey River when a 200-year-old bridge collapsed in heavy rain. The driver escaped unharmed.

The Department of Infrastructure's Alan Hardinge said: "The area has been made safe and cordoned off."

A government spokesman said the Emergency Service Joint Control Room received about 2,000 calls during the storms which also saw winds gusting at speeds up to 85mph.

The department also received 800 calls with half during a four-hour period.

Crews were dispatched to deal with flooding and fallen trees and to clear 750 tonnes of debris from the Mountain Road following a land slip. The road has since reopened.

More than 4,000 sandbags were distributed to residents and businesses as well as fire stations and civic amenity sites.

Firefighters also had to contend with major flooding at Douglas Fire Station on Thursday whilst dealing with operational issues including evacuating children from a gymnastics club.

Alan Hardinge added: "There's an enormous amount of work to do during the clean up which could take weeks."

Firefighters also had to contend with major flooding at Douglas Fire Station

The National Sports Centre in Douglas suffered "extensive damage" in the floods