UK – 100 Rescued After Floods Hit Central and Eastern Areas of England

by in News, UK

More rivers have flooded in England after further heavy rain, affecting parts of Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire, as well as areas of eastern England.

Meanwhile villages in South Yorkshire are still underwater after rivers overflowed earlier this month.

The Environment Agency (EA), emergency responders and local authorities said they are helping to protect people and properties following flooding in Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. Around 22,000 properties have been protected by flood defences, including nearly 7,000 properties in Yorkshire.

As of 16 November there were nearly 400 operational staff working on flooded sites across the country pumping water and erecting temporary barriers to help better protect more homes and businesses against further flooding.

The EA deployed 83 high volume pumps, including four ultra-high volume units, extracting water to help protect homes and businesses in South Yorkshire and the Midlands.

Following the floods in South Yorkshire and Derbyshire that began on 07 November, further heavy rain from 14 November caused the Severn and Avon rivers to burst their banks, flooding parts of Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire. Flood barriers were erected in Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire, and Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Fire and Rescue Service said they attended 46 incidents of vehicles trapped in flood water and rescued 97 people between 14 and 15 November.

One of the hardest hit areas was Evesham in Worcestershire, where the River Avon burst its banks. Schools and a hospital were closed. On 15 November levels of the Avon at Evesham reached 4 metres. Flood level here is 2.5 metres.

The city of Worcester, about 25km north west, was also flooded after the Severn river overflowed. Dave Throup, Environment Agency manager for Herefordshire and Worcestershire, said via Social Media that this was the fourth time this year parts of Worcester have been flooded. The River Severn also caused flooding in Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire, with the river reaching 1.2 metres above flood alert level on 16 November.

About 25km south of Worcester, the town of Tewkesbury was once again flooded. Tewkesbury stands at the confluence of the Avon and Severn rivers, which broke their banks and flooded the town in late October this year.

In the east of England, St Ives in Cambridgeshire was surrounded by flood water after the River Great Ouse overflowed. Bardney, near Lincoln, flooded after the Barlings Eau burst its banks.

Flood Disruption to Continue

The Environment Agency is urging communities to remain vigilant against the threat of flooding with flood warnings and alerts remaining in place across the country.

Flooding is expected to cause continued disruption to communities in South Yorkshire, and parts of Lincolnshire and the north Midlands into this week. The EA said areas of Gloucestershire around the River Severn, and near the River Avon in Worcestershire and Warwickshire are expected to be affected by flooding until Monday.

Sheffield’s Wettest Autumn

The UK’s Met Office said its weather station in Sheffield, South Yorkshire had recorded its wettest ever autumn.

Via Social Media, the Office said: “With 15 days still to go, the site has already recorded 427.6mm of rain. The previous record was set in 2000 with 425.2mm of rain falling between September 1 and November 30 that year.”

Floods in south Yorkshire November 2019. Photo: South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue

Social Media

https://twitter.com/metoffice/status/1195333127054381056