Midday jottings

I am saddened to report that one person, a lady of 80, died at last night's traincrash at Grayrigg, Cumbria. Four people remain in hospital in Lancaster, 40 miles to the south of the incident. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch is looking into the cause of the derailment and will report in due course. Rescue workers who attended the scene last night say it's little short of a miracle that no further lives were lost, and so few were seriously injured. Sir Richard Branson, owner of Virgin Trains who were running the service, paid tribute to the deceased passenger and those injured. He also said that much was owed to the sturdy design of the Pendolino (tilting) Train. It is a new design, that has been in operation on the West Coast Mainline between London Euston and Glasgow for 4 years now.

Tropical Cyclone Gamede continues to dominate the news in La Reunion and Mauritius. The French island reports waves up to 40 feet in height crashing ashore, and warns of winds gusting to 110 mph at the highest points in the island. Latest weather reports from La Reunion give windspeeds up to 45 mph.
Details from Mauritius are more sketchy, but the class III hurricane warning means that winds of 75 mph are likely within 6 hours. Its outpost of St Brandon saw Gamede passing directly overhead yesterday afternoon. This cyclone will continue to pose a danger to both islands, as it is forecast to slow to the northwest, and then veer south, keeping the Mascareignes within striking distance.