Storm Bert Hits UK: More Flooding Expected

With additional rain due to fall today over sodden terrain, the environment secretary has indicated that more flooding is anticipated “this week” as the after effects of Storm Bert are still felt.

140 flood warnings are in effect across England, Wales, and Scotland; a serious “danger to life” warning remains in place for the River Nene in Northamptonshire following the third underwatering of a holiday park this year.

Monday night residents of Billing Aquadrome, where a significant issue has been reported, stayed at an evacuation facility.

Storm Bert over the weekend produced at least five deaths from heavy rain and severe winds; homes, roadways, and train networks suffered significant disturbance.

Though the storm will keep dragging away towards Scandinavia on Tuesday, showers are forecast across south-east, south-west and north-west England, as well as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Steve Reed, the Secretary of Environment, remarked that the effect of flooding “should be less severe”.

On Monday he told the Commons, “Further flooding is sadly likely over the next few days as water levels rise in slower flowing rivers such the Severn and the Ouse.”

Particularly focused in Northamptonshire, Worcestershire, and in south-west England are flood warnings on Tuesday.

While some Billing Aquadrome camping site Northamptonshire residents chose to sleep in their cars, others stayed in a leisure club overnight.

While another charity cooked hot lunches in the car park, volunteers from humanitarian nonprofit React provided those impacted toothbrushes and socks.

West Northamptonshire Council claimed to have assisted 114 persons, including thirty families with young children.
Living in a lodge at the site for fifteen years, Sam Craddock told Today on BBC Radio 4: “The sirens went off.” We did not anticipate this degree of difficulty.

“Based on the flooding, we have most likely been evacuated third or fourth time this year.

” [It’s] rather horrible out there.”

One individual reported that a warning went off on Monday at roughly 03:45 GMT, “everyone had to get off the site”.

He remarked, “It’s just not good; it’s not good at all.”

Carol Kirkwood, presenter of BBC Weather, said a belt of rain would travel eastwards and northwards throughout Tuesday night and overnight “and as it does so, the wind is also going to strengthen.”

“Some of it will be weighty in places where we haven’t lately had as much rain.”

From Essex to the Isle of Wight, heavy rain is expected on Wednesday morning “where we could have another inch,” Kirkwood warned.

She said, the rain would push slowly eastwards with showers in north-east England and south-east Scotland on Wednesday.

“The wind will be gusty through Lincolnshire, in through East Anglia into the South East,” Kirkwood declared.

She said, winds in certain places might run between 50 and 55 mph.

The Met Office has come under fire for inadequate warnings prior to storm arrival.

Although Simon Brown, the director of services, said on Monday that “observed rainfall totals were generally in line with the forecast and the severe weather warnings issued in advance”.

He declared he was determined to “learn the lessons… to support even greater preparedness”.

Chippenham, Wiltshire, is undergoing a clean-up campaign.

Though the water has receded back, several flood warnings remain in effect.

Right now, traffic is the main problem; several of the routes near town center are closed, resulting in gridlock.

However, three closed yesterday are scheduled for Tuesday reopening.

Tuesday following Storm Bert, National Rail announced on Tuesday that “various routes” in south-west England and Wales would continue to be impacted.

It said it had to clear flooding-affected trash from the line between Swindon and Bristol Parkway.

Network Rail said that platform restrictions at Newbury resulting from “ongoing damage” from the storm meant Great Western Railway was lowering the Tuesday train count running through the station.

Adverse conditions caused five men to perish over the weekend.

Following the disappearance of 75-year-old dogwalker Brian Perry along the River Conwy in Trefriw on Sunday, North Wales Police revealed a corpse was discovered.

On Saturday, 34-year-old Mohammed Wahid perished when his car ran into a wall in the snow at Shipley, West Yorkshire.

Saturday saw three more men perish in road accidents. During rush hour, another guy wrecked on the A45 close to Flore, Northamptonshire; another man perished after his car collided with a tree on the A34 at Winnall, Hampshire.

Driving into a Ford in Colne, Lancashire, an 80-year-old third man passed away.

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