UK flood chaos sees rail commuters instructed to go residence early

A ‘main incident’ was declared alongside the River Trent in Nottinghamshire in the present day amid extreme flooding following Storm Henk because the Met Office expanded a rain warning.

Nottinghamshire County Council urged residents in at-risk areas to organize in case they should evacuate and stated river peaks had closed in on file highs from 2000.

Officials revealed that key tributaries feeding into Trent together with the rivers Derwent, Soar and Dove had reached their peaks, which means excessive water ranges will now move down the Trent which is more likely to result in extra flooding to properties and roads.

Some houses have already been evacuated, whereas rail passengers had been instructed to journey residence early this afternoon as flooding distress continued two days after Henk hit.

Great Western Railway urged prospects to keep away from beginning journeys and stated those that had already travelled ought to think about taking a return prepare ‘as quickly as attainable’.

Thameslink, Southern, Gatwick Express and South Western Railway additionally warned of extreme disruption afterward with velocity restrictions already imposed on some traces.

The Met Office initially issued a rain warning throughout southern England from Cornwall to Suffolk however then prolonged it northwards over Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. It runs till 3am tomorrow and warns of additional energy cuts and villages changing into lower off.

Meteorologists additionally warned of additional flooding to houses and companies, highway closures, troublesome driving situations and cancellations to coach companies. It comes as:

• The Met Office revealed as much as 50mm (2in) if rain may fall within the worst-hit areas;
• Nearly 600 flood alerts or warnings had been imposed throughout England and Wales; 
• Dramatic aerial images revealed main flooding in Nottingham and Bedford; and
• The UK Health Security Agency issued a chilly climate alert from this Saturday. 

The space of low strain may also carry extreme winds – with the strongest primarily affecting Jersey, which was below a pink warning that states: ‘Avoid outdoors exercise’.

The London Fire Brigade additionally warned that elements of London ‘could expertise flash floods’ on account of the rain, ‘so ensure you know what to do in an emergency’.

The Environment Agency had 293 flood alerts and 270 warnings in place throughout England this morning – whereas Natural Resources Wales imposed 20 alerts, 4 warnings and one extreme warning for the River Ritec in Tenby, Pembrokeshire.

In Nottinghamshire, Councillor Neil Clarke, cupboard member for transport and atmosphere, stated the Trent’s water ranges had been because of peak this night.

He instructed BBC Radio Nottingham: ‘We have already evacuated some communities – some low-lying areas – however as the degrees are nonetheless rising, it can be crucial persons are conscious and take precautions.’

Routes remained closed because of flooding together with the A6097 at Gunthorpe and the A617 at Kelham, with drivers urged to keep away from the areas for all however important journey.

A Nottinghamshire County Council assertion stated in the present day: ‘Nottinghamshire and Nottingham Local Resilience Forum has declared a significant incident because of rising river ranges on the River Trent and the flooding and future flooding within the space, brought on by Storm Henk.

‘We, alongside our associate businesses, are advising residents dwelling alongside the Trent Valley to be ready for flooding as newest forecasts present that river ranges alongside the River Trent may come near the very best ranges on file from the 12 months 2000.’

It added: ‘ If you reside in an space susceptible to flooding, think about whether or not it’s worthwhile to journey and solely accomplish that if crucial.

‘Make certain to keep away from swollen rivers and flood water and by no means ignore highway closure indicators. We’re listening to stories of individuals ignoring closure which have been put in place, so bear in mind, we shut roads to your security.’

Also in the present day, Kew Gardens revealed six bushes had been destroyed in the course of the storm and would now be ‘mulched and added again’ to the attraction in South West London.

Officials stated they had been ‘unhappy to announce’ that the bushes had been ‘misplaced’, however added that work by their ‘tree gang’ to keep up 14,000 bushes averted the next complete.

Elsewhere, heavy rain throughout southern England led to the vast majority of Thames Water’s storm overflows discharging sewage into rivers and floor water.

It is probably going that different water firms are additionally discharging greater than normal however solely Thames Water has revealed a dwell interactive map of its screens on rivers.

Flooding continued to have an effect on rail companies in the present day, with passengers heading for South West England warned to begin their journeys earlier than 3pm because of possible flooding.

Great Western Railway (GWR) stated prospects travelling by rail to Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall ought to go away as quickly as attainable, with companies more likely to be delayed or cancelled later in the present day.

In an announcement, the agency stated: ‘With additional flood warnings in place and the quantity of rain forecast, Network Rail has recognized key websites in Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall as being susceptible to flooding from round 3pm. Trains could not be capable of function by way of these areas.’

Services between Paddington and Swindon will function however could also be affected by flooding elsewhere, the agency added. GWR stated prospects with tickets for later companies in the present day may use them on earlier trains.

Elsewhere, CrossNation and Transport for Wales warned flooding between Gloucester and Lydney meant all traces had been blocked. Also in the present day, taxis changed GWR trains between Liskeard and Looe in Cornwall in spite of everything traces had been blocked.

All GWR traces had been additionally shut between Bristol Parkway and Swindon because of flooding, with companies between London Paddington and South Wales pressured to divert.

Diversions may add 40 minutes to passengers’ journeys, the prepare operator stated – including that passengers may count on additional disruption if excessive ranges of rain return.

Elsewhere, South Western Railway stated trains operating throughout its entire community could also be cancelled, delayed or revised till the top of in the present day.

As a outcome, a 50mph velocity restriction will likely be applied on the routes of Bournemouth to Weymouth, Crewkerne to Honiton, Guildford to Fratton, Eastleigh to Hilsea, St Denys to Fareham, Wokingham to Guildford and Basingstoke to Southampton Central.

Services between Weymouth and London Waterloo will name moreover at Basingstoke, Woking and Clapham Junction in each instructions; companies between Portsmouth and Waterloo by way of Basingstoke will run quick between Basingstoke and Waterloo within the London course; and companies between Exeter St Davids and Waterloo will begin from, and terminate at Basingstoke.

Services ranging from Salisbury in the direction of Waterloo will run as scheduled.

Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink – that are all a part of Govia Thameslink Railway – additionally warned of disruption because of extreme climate

Speed restrictions had been imposed within the Wessex space between Havant, Portsmouth and throughout to Eastleigh and Southampton, with Southern companies solely allowed to function at 50mph in these areas.

The Met Office stated heavy rain is anticipated to maneuver northeast throughout southern and jap elements of England all through this afternoon earlier than clearing in a single day.

While the monitor of the heaviest rainfall ‘stays very unsure’, as much as 30mm (1.2in) may fall in six to 9 hours, with some few locations presumably seeing 50mm (2in).

Chaos is more likely to be worsened due the bottom throughout the area presently being very moist, earlier than the climate turns drier, colder and extra settled into the weekend.

Overnight frosts will return as temperatures fall to -5C (23F) in northern England and -2C (28F) in southern areas by Sunday. The UK Health Security Agency has issued a chilly climate alert masking all of England from this Saturday till subsequent Tuesday.

Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert stated: ‘The monitor of the heaviest rain stays unsure however there may be likelihood of 20 to 30mm of rain falling in a six to 9 hour interval for a portion of the warning space, with just a few locations seeing as a lot as 40 to 50mm.

‘Much of this rain is falling on already moist floor and due to this fact, impacts are extra possible. Meanwhile, a stalled climate entrance will proceed to carry rain and showers throughout the northeast.’

It comes after Storm Henk introduced flooding and disruption to Britain as 94mph winds battered the Isle of Wight and houses had been evacuated.

Gloucestershire Constabulary stated a motorist in his 50s from the Bath space was killed by a falling tree, whereas driving close to Kemble, between Tetbury and Cirencester, on Tuesday.

In Northamptonshire, a number of residents had been evacuated from houseboats and caravans at Billing Aquadrome near the River Nene because of flooding.

Robert Britchford moved to the location in 2016 and estimated that about 2,000 individuals have been evacuated from their houses.

He stated: ‘It’s the second time in three years that it has flooded. I moved my vehicles out of the best way, and I believed I might try to wait it out, as a result of I believed it could be good in the present day, however no, the evacuation discover went out and that was it.

‘I’m a bit anxious. We felt it was coming, however we hoped it would not. Now we’ve to seek out inns. They will not allow us to again on till that is all sorted, so it might be a month earlier than we come again on.’

Another vacation park in South Wales was flooded, with stories of uncooked sewage within the water.

Natural Resources Wales urged individuals at Kiln Park caravan website close to Tenby to keep away from contact with the water and stated the River Ritec is more likely to stay excessive for a number of days.

Meanwhile, dozens of houses in Bottleacre Lane in Loughborough, Leicestershire, had been both breached or surrounded by floodwater, with some residents trapped of their houses.

The floor ground of Ivan Fletcher’s property, the place he has lived for 16 years, was lined by a couple of foot of water, along with his possessions moved upstairs.

The father of 9, seven of whom dwell at residence, moved six of his youngsters to a relative’s residence in Leicester, and one stayed within the property.

He stated: ‘I wakened this morning to this. There was water all over the place, and it’s got worse. There are bins all over the place, garbage, the youngsters had been panicking, stress.

‘I moved my spouse and the youngsters to Leicester together with her sister out of the best way, and I’ll keep right here with the cats, and my eldest daughter. It occurred about 12 years in the past but it surely was by no means this unhealthy. We had no warning in any respect.’

National Highways stated a number of main roads in England had been closed because of flooding and rail firms additionally reported disruption.

A falling tree injured a lady in Orpington, South East London, and others broken properties and blocked roads throughout the nation.

Raw sewage has spilled from a flooded remedy works in Surrey when the River Mole to burst its banks.

Pollution unfold over a public footpath past the fence of the unmanned Thames Water facility.

Heavy rain throughout southern England has led to the vast majority of Thames Water’s storm overflows discharging sewage into rivers and floor water.

It is probably going that different water firms are additionally discharging greater than normal, however solely Thames Water has revealed a dwell interactive map of its screens on rivers.

Simon Collins, of River Mole River Watch, stated the Horley remedy works close to Gatwick Airport has flooded 4 instances since Storm Ciaran hit the UK in late October.

After the flood on Tuesday he examined the water pouring by way of the fence and located phosphate, a pollutant present in sewage, to be ‘off the size’.

Thames Water has apologised for the air pollution and stated it has put in a brief pump to clear the water whereas it upgrades the remedy plant in the long run.

The storm introduced gusts of 94mph at Needles on the Isle of Wight whereas Exeter Airport noticed winds of 81mph, and a household was left ‘uncovered to the weather’ greater than 400ft within the air when sturdy winds ‘ripped the hatch’ off their London Eye pod.

David Nock, 43, from Bournemouth, Dorset, stated that the Eye started ‘flexing’ on the best way up and that it stored stop-starting because it struggled with the wind on Tuesday.

The statement wheel got here to a complete halt and ‘wasn’t going wherever’ on the prime, he stated, leaving him and his household of 11 stranded for 5 minutes.

A spokesman for the London Eye stated that after an ‘remoted technical problem’, they ‘instantly ensured that visitors safely disembarked’.

Several rail routes remained disrupted because of flooding, however some have reopened.

Yesterday, Greater Anglia stated at 7am that it was nonetheless experiencing ‘extreme disruption’, with ‘don’t journey’ warnings in place on routes in Norwich, Colchester, Peterborough and Cambridge. All traces reopened by 9am.

Great Northern Rail companies resumed between Cambridge and each Ely and King’s Lynn after work to restore broken overhead wires and take away a fallen tree.

National Highways stated the A21 in East Sussex was closed between the A2100 close to Johns Cross and the A28 close to Baldslow as a result of a fallen tree was resting on energy cables above the highway.

Flooding closed the A52 in Nottinghamshire westbound from the A46 at Saxondale to the A6011 at Gamston.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service stated it had obtained 140 flood-related calls in 24 hours whereas Leicestershire Police stated a lot of houses had been affected by flooding in Loughborough.

The Environment Agency urged individuals to keep away from strolling close to coastal paths the place massive waves may drag them into the ocean.