Major incident declared as Storm Claudia causes flooding and disruption
17 minutes agoRuth Comerford, Zahra Fatima, and BBC Weather
A major incident has been declared in Monmouth following severe and widespread flooding across the town and surrounding area caused by Storm Claudia.
Emergency services have been carrying out rescues, evacuations, and welfare checks since the incident was declared in the town at 01:30GMT on Saturday, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said.
A Met Office yellow rain warning remains in place until midday on Saturday with 60 flood warnings issued for England and 9 flood warnings across Wales.
Wet conditions are expected to continue for many on Saturday morning as the UK heads towards a cold snap next week.
Chance of snow in UK this week after Storm Claudia clears
Some businesses and homes in Monmouth town centre are underwater after the river Monnow burst its banks – some locals have been evacuated to the local library, amid ‘danger to life’ warnings.
“I haven’t seen it this bad in Monmouth for 20 to 30 years,” said local county councillor Martin Newell, who has a business in the town.
He said he was “absolutely heartbroken” for those affected.
Monmouthshire County Council has urged motorists to avoid travelling in the local area, and said officials have worked overnight with emergency services to support residents.
Kim KaosMet Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said some areas were expected to see up to a month’s worth of rain between Friday and Saturday.
Flood defences have been implemented in Bewdley, West Midlands, with emergency services in Shrewsbury set to follow suit on Saturday.
The British Red Cross said it had placed its emergency response teams on standby to help communities most at risk.
Beyond the weekend, sub-zero temperatures and potentially snow are expected for some, with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issuing a cold weather alert from 08:00 GMT on Monday until the following Friday which covers the north of England and Midlands.
Friday’s downpours have caused some travel disruption, with National Rail warning of delays and cancellations over the weekend.
- Service disruption is expected throughout Saturday for Avanti West Coast, as-well as Transport for Wales, London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway services, while various Northern services are expecting disruption until 14:00 GMT
- CrossCountry services: All services between Stockport and Macclesfield will be cancelled or diverted due to damage to overhead wires between these stations. Multiple services running from Manchester Piccadilly are likely to be affected – with disruption expected until 13:30
- No trains will be running between Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport until the end of Saturday due to a fallen tree on the track
- Great Western Railway: Lines between Exeter St. Davids and Barnstaple are expected to be closed until Sunday evening due to flooding – with rail replacement buses in place. Services between Swindon and Bristol Parkway, as-well as Chippenham and Bath Spa may be disrupted until 12:00 due to flooding, as services begin to resume. Meanwhile passengers are advised all services between Liskeard and Looe will be cancelled due to heavy flooding, with disruption expected to last until the end of the day.
The AA has advised against travelling in the “hazardous weather”, saying: “Safety comes first. Conditions may change quickly, so stay updated and make sure you’re prepared before you travel.”
The RAC urged drivers to take the amber weather warnings associated with Storm Claudia “extremely seriously”.
Network RailSome events have already been disrupted by the weather, including a Christmas event – Lapland UK – in Macclesfield being forced to shut because of falling trees.
Organisers have said they will examine the track at Prestbury Park, Cheltenham, on Saturday morning ahead of the scheduled seven-race Paddy Power Gold Cup card to decide whether racing was proceed.
PA MediaStorm Claudia – named by the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) – has already brought heavy rain and strong winds to Spain and Portugal.
The storm comes as the Environment Agency warned that England will experience widespread drought next year without a wet winter.
The country has received only 83% of the average rainfall for January to October, and suffered the driest spring for 132 years and the hottest summer on record.
Despite recent rainfall, the situation remains “precarious”, it said.
Reuters