A man died after his car became wedged under a bridge in Chew Stoke, Somerset Flood-hit areas of the UK are braced for a fresh deluge of heavy rain and gale force winds, expected to hit on Saturday morning.The Met Office has issued an amber warning for heavy rain in south-west England and Wales, and is warning the public to be prepared for flooding.
Forecasters are not certain which areas will bear the brunt of the storm.
Overnight downpours on Thursday claimed the life of a man in Somerset and flooded about 300 properties.
Dozens of flood warnings remain in place, many train lines are suspended and roads closed, with the West Country being worst hit.
The weather over the weekend is expected to worsen with more rain, and winds of up to 70mph.
'Absolute tragedy'BBC weather forecaster Chris Fawkes said: "On Saturday, we're going to see an area of heavy rain developing. We're looking at around 20-40mm of rain falling but there could be some areas that get 50-60mm. We've already got Met Office amber weather warnings out for that.
"As the rain band pushes northwards we're going to see the winds really pick up in strength as well with gales and severe gales. The strongest gusts probably around 70mph or thereabouts towards the coast of Sussex and Kent. We're also going to see very strong gusts, 60mph or so, inland.
"Those wind speeds are enough to bring down trees in their own right and blow a lot of debris around, that debris goes into the river systems and could cause some blockages. It's not looking too good, it has to be said.
"Maximum amount of rainfall we could see, across parts of the West Country, areas like Devon, Somerset, Bristol, Bath, as well as south and west Wales, the peak rainfall is 50-60mm. But 20-40mm is probably what we're going to see over a fairly wide area."Staff at Taunton council's depot have filled 8,000 sandbags so far this week, and thousands more on Friday as the next weather system approaches and further warnings are issued.
The Environment Agency's Nick Moore advised people to think about potentially vulnerable family members and friends who might need help getting out of properties that might flood, and getting possessions into the higher parts of the house.
BBC news correspondent Robert Hall said in fire stations and council offices plans were in place, and it was time to watch the weather charts and prepare once again for the unpredictable.
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson warned people to be vigilant.
He said: "We had one absolute tragedy when one man was killed. I would like to warn everybody that flood water is dangerous.
"More rain is forecast over the next few days and it's very easy to leave one's cosy home and just get struck by water and not realise how dangerous it is."
Weather warnings have been issued for the weekend, with the Met Office saying winds could damage buildings and uproot trees.
More flooding is possible, especially on ground which is already saturated by Thursday's rain.
Gusts of 60-70mph could hit south-eastern coastal counties of England and there is the potential for storm force winds over the English Channel.
Trains suspendedThe Environment Agency has 51 flood warnings and 161 flood alerts in place in England and Wales. Flood warnings mean people should take action because flooding is expected, and flood alerts indicate to prepare for possible flooding.
Avon Fire and Rescue Service said a man died in floods after he became trapped in his car under a bridge in Chew Stoke near Bath on Thursday.
Avon and Somerset Search and Rescue volunteer Duncan Massey described the difficult conditions.
He said: "Access was terrible. The water going down there was like a raging torrent. Nearly impossible to get in the water, I would say. It was very deep and swift flowing, and dark."
Three elderly people had to be rescued from their car as it was swept down a flooded ford near Alcester in Warwickshire. The vehicle was carried for more than 500 yards before a farmer managed to secure it to allow emergency services to help.
The RAC said it had been called to 60% more incidents in south-west England than normal, and 19% more in Wales. The AA said road conditions were only likely to get worse.
Meanwhile, trains are likely to be suspended between Exeter, Taunton and Bristol Temple Meads until Monday.
var timeObject = new Object();timeObject.strDayName = 'Friday';timeObject.strHour = '23';timeObject.strMinute = '39';timeObject.strDoM = '23';timeObject.strMoY = '11';timeObject.strYear = '2012';timeObject.strShow = "";Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.
Read the terms and conditions
No comments:
Post a Comment