UK weather- live: Commuters warned to travel by 3pm before floods …
Storm Henk: Heavy rainfall leads to flooding across England and Wales
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
Commuters [1]travelling to the South West face a two-hour travel warning as Great Western Rail tells them to depart before 3pm so they are not held up by flooding chaos.
The warning comes as communities across the UK have been left underwater[2] as the Met Office warns 15 hours of rain will wreak further havoc.
The Met Office [3]has issued a yellow weather warning for rain across south England until 3am on Friday, with much of the area already affected by groundwater caused by Storm Henk.
Great Western Railway (GWR)[4] said customers travelling by rail to Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall should leave as soon as possible, with services likely to be delayed or cancelled later on Thursday.
In a statement, the firm said: “With further flood warnings in place and the amount of rain forecast, Network Rail has identified key sites in Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall as being at risk of flooding from around 1500. Trains may not be able to operate through these areas.
A family were left terrified when Storm Henk hit the London Eye and blew off part of the roof of their pod yesterday.
Show latest update 1704380508Motorist killed by falling tree as homes evacuated after Storm Henk flooding
In case you missed this...
A motorist has been killed by a falling tree as 90mph winds battered the Isle of Wight, and homes were evacuated, after Storm Henk brought flooding and disruption.
Gloucestershire Constabulary[6] said a man in his 50s died while driving near Kemble, and more than 200 flood warnings remained in place on Wednesday, with severe flooding at holiday parks near Tenby, south-west Wales, and Northampton.
Speaking about the motorist, a Gloucestershire Constabulary spokesman said: “Emergency services, including an air ambulance, attended the location which is between Tetbury and Cirencester.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 January 2024 15:01
[5]1704378266Environment Agency warns more flooding possible amid heavy rain forecast
The Environment Agency has warned surface water & river flooding is possible in parts of the country as heavy rainfall is forecast for Thursday evening.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 January 2024 14:24
[7]1704376477Yellow weather warning today and tomorrow
The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning from 12pm on Thursday with rainfall expected to travel in a north-east direction across the south of England, lasting until 3am on Friday.
It added there is a “small chance” that communities could become cut off by flooded roads.
The warning comes in the wake of Storm Henk that battered the UK on Tuesday and forced people to evacuate their homes, leaving one man dead from a tree falling in 90mph winds on the Isle of Wight.
The Met Office added that the spell of rain on Thursday was falling on already saturated ground which could cause “further flooding and travel disruption”.
It said: “The track of the heaviest rainfall remains very uncertain, but there is a chance of 20 to 30 millimetres falling in six to nine hours across a portion of the warning area, with a few places perhaps seeing 40 to 50 millimetres.
“Impacts are more likely due to the current very wet ground across the region.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 January 2024 13:54
[8]1704376359Heavy rain expected overnight
The Met Office warned an area of cloud will bring heavy rain overnight on Thursday across southern areas.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 January 2024 13:52
[9]1704375027More trains could be cancelled as Met Office issues weather warnings
Train operators said more services could be cancelled as people across the south of England face further warnings of flooding, power cuts and road closures.
Great Western Rail, which runs services westwards from London, said its trains from Swindon and Bristol Parkway remain closed due to flooding on the tracks during Storm Henk.
Trains are being diverted via Bath or Temple Meads potentially adding 40 minutes to passengers’ journeys, it said.
The train operator said passengers could expect further disruption if high levels of rain return.
Water from River Great Ouse floods Bedford after Storm Henk
(REUTERS)
Lydia Patrick4 January 2024 13:30
[10]1704373227Sewage spills on to public path as treatment works overwhelmed by flood water
Raw sewage has spilled from a flooded treatment works in Surrey after Storm Henk caused the River Mole to burst its banks.
Pollution spread over a public footpath beyond the fence of the unmanned Thames Water facility.
Heavy rain across southern England has led to the majority of Thames Water’s storm overflows discharging sewage into rivers and ground water.
It is likely that other water companies are also discharging more than usual but only Thames Water has published a live interactive map of its monitors on rivers.
Simon Collins, of the organisation River Mole River Watch, said the Horley treatment works near Gatwick Airport has flooded four times since Storm Ciaran hit the UK in late October.
Water from River Great Ouse floods Bedford after Storm Henk, Britain
(REUTERS)
Lydia Patrick4 January 2024 13:00
[11]17043724793pm deadline for GWR travellers
Rail passengers heading for south-west England have been warned to start their journeys before 3pm due to likely flooding.
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for rain across south England until 3am on Friday, with much of the area already affected by groundwater caused by Storm Henk.
Great Western Railway (GWR) said customers travelling by rail to Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall should leave as soon as possible, with services likely to be delayed or cancelled later on Thursday.
In a statement, the firm said: “With further flood warnings in place and the amount of rain forecast, Network Rail has identified key sites in Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall as being at risk of flooding from around 1500. Trains may not be able to operate through these areas.”
Services between Paddington and Swindon will operate but may be affected by flooding elsewhere, the firm added.
GWR said customers with tickets for later services on Thursday could use them on earlier trains.
Lydia Patrick4 January 2024 12:47
[12]1704371427Watch - Residents wade through flooded Loughborough road after Storm Henk
Residents wade through flooded Loughborough road after Storm Henk[14]
Residents were seen wading through a flooded road in Loughborough on Wednesday 3 January, after rain and strong winds from Storm Henk lashed large parts of the UK. Footage shows cars parked in floodwater as several people stood to observe the scene outside their homes on Bottleacre Lane. National Highways said several major roads in England were closed due to flooding with rail companies also reporting disruption. Meanwhile, residents were evacuated from houseboats and caravans at Billing Aquadrome, close to the River Nene near Northampton, due to flooding caused by Storm Henk.
Lydia Patrick4 January 2024 12:30
[13]1704369627Tewkesbury left underwater
Heavy rainfall has left the town of Tewksebury in north Gloucestershire underwater.
Social media users have documented the chaos , with main roads reportedly overcome with flooding.
Lydia Patrick4 January 2024 12:00
[15]1704368427Watch - London building partially collapses and damages vehicles during Storm Henk
London building partially collapses and damages vehicles during Storm Henk[17]
A London building partially collapsed onto a street, damaging vehicles, during Storm Henk on Tuesday, 2 January. Part of the derelict property's first-floor exterior wall fell onto the road and one parked car, but no-one was injured, London Fire Brigade said. Firefighters said they attended more than 200 incidents related to Storm Henk on Tuesday including fallen trees, signage and roofing in precarious positions and flooding. The fire brigade said they received almost 1,000 calls which is around double an average day in London.
Lydia Patrick4 January 2024 11:40
[16]References
- ^ Sewage spills on to public path as treatment works overwhelmed by flood water (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ London building partially collapses and damages vehicles during Storm Henk (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ Extreme cold leaves thousands without power in Nordic countries while floods again hit Germany (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ More trains could be cancelled as Met Office issues weather warnings (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1704380508 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ Gloucestershire Constabulary (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1704378266 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1704376477 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1704376359 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1704375027 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1704373227 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1704372479 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1704371427 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ Residents wade through flooded Loughborough road after Storm Henk (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1704369627 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1704368427 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ London building partially collapses and damages vehicles during Storm Henk (www.independent.co.uk)