The World - News from Oct. 21, 1987

The British government ordered an inquiry into the failure of weather forecasters to predict Britain’s worst storm in centuries, which killed 17 people and devastated parts of London and southern England. Defense Secretary George Younger, who is responsible for the state-run Meteorological Office, called for a report from Peter Swinnerton-Dyer, head of the forecasting service, and Robert Pearce, head of the meteorology department at Reading University. The storm Friday packed hurricane-force winds that caused widespread damage and seriously disrupted rail service. About 175,000 homes in southeastern England still lacked electricity.