Case Study - Beast From The East

Question 1

Beast from the East - deaths

Answer 1

10+

Question 2

Beast from the East - economic impacts

Answer 2

• huge traffic congestion
• gas deficit warning
• flights cancelled and delayed
• panic buying caused supermarkets to run out of food

Question 3

Beast from the East - social impacts

Answer 3

• 10+ deaths
• NHS cancelled non-urgent operations
• thousands of schools shut
• trains stranded for more than 10 hours
• thousands of homes without power

Question 4

Beast from the East - UK responses

Answer 4

• armed forces deployed to rescue drivers
• red warnings from Met Office to warn people against travel
• community centres opened for homeless people to shelter from the cold
• delivery drivers handed out food to stranded drivers

Question 5

Beast from the East - role of armed forces

Answer 5

Rescue stranded drivers
Transport NHS workers to hospitals, where they’re needed

Question 6

Beast from the East - Met Office warnings

Answer 6

Red warning - extreme traffic disruptions and risk to life

Question 7

Beast from the East - community centres

Answer 7

Opened to shelter homeless people from the cold

Question 8

Beast from the East - causes

Answer 8

• polar vortex of cold air from Siberia blew across Europe
• wind speeds exceeding 70mph
• 10-20cm fell in 3 days

Question 9

Beast from the East - wind speeds

Answer 9

70+ mph

Question 10

Beast from the East - snow drifts height

Answer 10

7m+ in some places

Question 11

Beast from the East - NHS response

Answer 11

All non-urgent operations cancelled

Question 12

Beast from the East - role of the Red Cross

Answer 12

Blankets issued to those stranded at Glasgow Airport

Question 13

Beast from the East - how were roads cleared?

Answer 13

Snow plough, gritters and tractors