Storm Babet chaos as it happened in Worcestershire | Worcester News
During dramatic scenes across the county, roads were closed or became impassable as heavy rain battered Worcestershire and drivers got stuck in flood water, some having to be rescued.
STUCK: Cars stuck in the water on the Worcester-bound carriageway of the A449 (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)
Storm Babet caused chaos as we provide an overview of the severe weather as it happened in Worcestershire with the Met Office yellow warning set to continue tomorrow.
One of the main casualties was the A449 between Claines and Ombersley where drivers got stuck in flood water caused by the downpour and had to abandon their vehicles.
FLOODS: The junction of Egg Lane and the A449 is flooded and coned off (picture taken 20/10/23) (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)
Several vehicles were stuck in the water near the Claines roundabout as the stretch of road between Ombersley and Claines (heading from Kiddermintser direction) was coned off by West Mercia Police.
An ambulance on blue lights was also seen nearby while entry to Egg Lane off the A449 in Worcester was blocked by a pool of water.
RECOMMENDED READING: LIVE: Storm Babet: how weather warning affects Worcestershire[1]
RECOMMENDED READING: A449 closed between Ombersley and Claines due to floods[2]
Schools were also closed including Abberley Parochial Primary School, CE First School, Eckington CE First School, Himbleton CE First School. Rail services also suffered significant disruption.
GRIDLOCK: Flooding in Ombersley caused issues for drivers (Image: Newsquest)
A home was flooded in Henwick Road, St John’s, Worcester shortly before 8am as water poured in from the roadway.
“One Worcester Fire Station crew attended Henwick Road where severe flooding from the roadway was affecting a property.
“The crew was unable to stem the flow of water due to blocked drains and advice was given to the occupier with the council and highways agency requested to assist,” a spokesperson said.
A crew was called out to make vehicles safe after a crash in Droitwich at 7.57am. One Droitwich Fire Station crew attended the A4133 Ombersley Way island where the incident involved two vehicles with no people trapped.
One female casualty was left in the care of the ambulance service with the police also in attendance.
A spokesperson for Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said they were called to a vehicle ‘in deep water in Ombersley’ at 9.47am today.
A spokesperson said: “One Worcester Fire Station crew attended Main Road where a man in a car was stranded in around three feet of floodwater.
“The car had been pushed out of the water by members of the public and the roadway was taped off by the crew with the highways agency requested for road closure.
SCARY: The flooded A44 west of Worcester was under water on Friday (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)
“There were no casualties and the crew left the incident at 10.27am.”
The fire service also attended a report of flooding in Holt Heath at 9.57am today.
A crew from Tenbury Wells Fire Station crew attended a property off the A443 where flooding had been caused by water run-off from surrounding fields.
He added: “The electrics were isolated to the ground floor and the crew and a carer helped an uninjured elderly man up safely to the first floor away from the flooding.
“The crew left the incident at 10.58am.”
Traffic built up on several major roads including the A38 near Droitwich, A4449 and A44 west of Worcester with delays caused by drivers either trying to navigate standing water or by road closures.
Roads closed by the floods include Hanbury Road in Droitwich; A451 Great Witley and Hope House Lane, Martley.
Congestion was particularly bad between Ombersley and Holt Fleet due to flooding. Drivers could not get on the A449 towards Worcester due to the road closure on the slip road.
Lower Broadheath was also affected by flooding. A Worcester fire crew was called at 9.08am today.
“One Worcester Fire Station crew attended Malvern Walk where three properties were affected by flooding.
“The crew was unable to stem the water flow from the roadway and drains.
“They checked properties and gave advice to occupiers before leaving the scene at 10.11am,” a spokesperson said.
The fire service attended a vehicle in deep water in Stockton on Teme at 9.27am.
“A Water First Responders crew from Bromyard Fire Station attended the B4203 where a car was submerged in around four feet of water.
“There were no casualties and the road was closed due to flooding before the crew left the incident at 10.58am.”
Flooding on the train line between Bromsgrove and Droitwich caused major disruption to trains. A train which set off for Worcester Foregate Street from Bromsgrove at 8.22am moved only yards before being forced to turn back.
Water could be seen pouring off the embankment onto the line and staff on the train were telling customers it was not safe to travel.
The issue was causing delays in the morning for trains heading from Worcester to Birmingham.
Incidents continued well into the afternoon with a fire crew called out to a vehicle in deep water in Droitwich at 12.48pm.
“A crew from both Droitwich and Worcester Fire Stations, including a water rescue team, attended Ford Lane where a woman was in a car which was stranded in floodwater.
“The woman self-extricated from the vehicle on our arrival and the highways agency was requested to close the road.
“The HWFRS crews left the scene at 1.47pm.”
References
- ^ RECOMMENDED READING: LIVE: Storm Babet: how weather warning affects Worcestershire (www.worcesternews.co.uk)
- ^ RECOMMENDED READING: A449 closed between Ombersley and Claines due to floods (www.worcesternews.co.uk)