Storm Bert: Clean up begins but flooding risk may remain until Wednesday
A major clean-up has started following “devastating” floods from Storm Bert, but the risk of further flooding remains. Hundreds of homes have been left underwater after roads were turned into rivers and winds of up to 82mph were recorded. At least four deaths have been reported in England and Wales – although it is not clear if all the fatalities are linked to the Storm Bert.
Holiday park evacuated in area under ‘danger to life’ warning – follow live[1]
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Tricky landings for Storm Bert planes
Environment Secretary Steve Reed has held an emergency meeting with the Environment Agency (EA) to discuss the response to the flooding and said he is receiving regular updates. Katharine Smith at the EA said: “Significant river flooding impacts are expected in parts of the Midlands and South West England today as rivers respond to heavy rainfall following Storm Bert. “Localised flooding impacts are also possible more widely across England, which may continue in places until Wednesday due to further heavy rain.”
Image: The River Nene burst its banks in Northamptonshire. Pic: PA
Image: A swan inspects a new flooded area at Billing Aquadrome, where a warning is in place. Pic: PA
The National Flood Forum, a charity that represents those at risk of flooding, said it is demanding the government “takes a bolder approach to flood risk management”.
In a statement on X, the organisation said people’s lives and businesses “lie in ruins” adding “people deserve better than this”. ‘Danger to life’ flood warning One severe flood warning remains in force on Monday, meaning it is likely to cause “danger to life”.
It applies to the River Nene at Billing Aquadrome on the outskirts of Northampton. Flood sirens were activated at a holiday park there, which has been evacuated.
Image: In Pontypridd, the River Taff flooded homes. Pic: EmmaLWales/X
Image: Flooding in Cwmtillery, South Wales, has caked the streets in mud.
Pic: Reuters
Image: The clean up begins in Cwmtillery, South Wales, in the aftermath of Storm Bert. Pic: Reuters
Between 200 and 300 properties in South Wales were affected by flooding on Sunday.
A major incident was declared in the Rhondda Cynon Taf region amid fears of a more significant impact than during Storm Dennis in 2020. Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan described the impact as “absolutely devastating” in the run-up to Christmas.
Image: Some shops in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, have suffered significant flooding damage.
Image: Flooding is continuing to cause disruption in York
More than 100 flood warnings – ranked as the second most serious level – remain in place across Britain.
Most of these are in England, where about 150 flood alerts are also in force, indicating flooding is possible. A yellow weather warning for rain in Scotland has been issued by the Met Office until midnight on Monday. It said showers or longer spells of rain will continue for the rest of the day across northwest Scotland.
Up to 5 to 7cm (2 to 3ins) of rainfall is expected which, combined with melting snow, means there is a risk of flooding, it added. There is the potential for UK travellers to experience delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport, the forecaster also warned.
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Rail routes shut or disrupted
There remains wider disruption to rail services on Monday as National Rail warned the impact of the weekend’s weather is still being felt in northern England and Scotland. Several lines are also flooded in southwest England and South Wales.
Image: Rail passengers face delays and cancellations at Paddington Station in London.
Pic: Reuters
Great Western has advised against travelling on most of its services to and from London Paddington today and is recommending people instead delay trips until Tuesday. Transport for Wales said all services between Pontypridd and Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil had been cancelled, and lines are also closed between Hereford and Abergavenny. Trains between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport are not running because of damage to overhead electrical wires.
Greater Anglia said that route – along with services to Cambridge and around Stratford – would also be affected until at least 5pm. London Northwestern Railway is not running trains through Northampton due to the River Nene bursting its banks. Network Rail posted an image of flooding at Northampton station.
It is also affecting trains between Birmingham New Street and London Euston.
Image: The tracks at Northampton railway station were completely submerged. Pic: Network Rail
South Western is also warning of disruption – tickets will be accepted on CrossCountry and Great Western, along with some Stagecoach buses, it said.
On Sunday night, part of the M32 around Bristol was closed because of flooding, as was the A49 in Shropshire and Herefordshire. More than 300 flights set to depart from UK airports were cancelled during Storm Bert, aviation analytics firm Cirium said. Heathrow Airport was worst affected because of intense crosswinds.
Homeowners told to boil water Welsh Water has told homeowners in parts of Rhondda Cynon Taf to boil their water. It affects people living in 10 areas: Blaenrhondda, Blaencwm, Tynewydd, Treherbert, Treorchy, Cwm-parc, Pentre, Ton Pentre, Gelli and Tonypandy.
Typically a “precautionary boil notice” is issued when local supplies have been contaminated, which can be caused by flooding. Power outages About 350,000 homes in England lost power during the storm, though most have since been reconnected.
National Grid UK says engineering crews have responded and restored power to tens of thousands of customers, particularly in the South West and the West Midlands. Four fatalities Four people have reportedly died since Storm Bert struck.
A body was found in the search for Brian Perry, 75, on Sunday afternoon after he went missing near the River Conwy in North Wales the day before. Coastguard and North Wales Police were involved in the search for him.
Image: 75-year-old Brian Perry went missing with his dog near the River Conwy in North Wales
Lancashire Police confirmed a man in his 80s died on Sunday after his car entered a body of water in Colne on Sunday. A woman in her 80s was also taken to hospital after being recovered from the water on Cockhill Lane, Foulridge.
A man in his 60s died after a tree fell on a car on the A34 near Winchester, Hampshire police said. In Northamptonshire, a man in his 40s died in a crash on the A45 near Flore which police have described as an “unexplained death”.
Brecon Beacons badly hit
Following a weekend of extreme weather, the Met Office has revealed which UK locations felt the worst of Sunday’s downpours.
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The Welsh village of Libanus in the Brecon Beacons received no less than 72mm of rainfall.
References
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