UK – Flood Rescues After Rivers Overflow in England and Wales

by in News, UK

Heavy rain brought flooding to parts of England and Wales from 16 March, 2019, damaging roads and homes and prompting several flood rescues.

Natural Resources Wales was called to help pump flood water in Llanrwst. Photo: Natural Resources Wales

Wales

The BBC reports that homes in Conwy county in Wales were flooded, including Betws-y-Coed and Llanrwst, where three people had to be rescued from a vehicles stuck in flood water.

Roads have been closed in various parts of the country. North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said about 40 properties had flooded in Parc yr Eryr, Llanrwst.

Capel Curig in Wales recorded 136.6 mm of rain in 24 hours to 17 March. At one point on 16 March there were 9 flood warnings and 18 flood alerts in place across Wales.

The Conwy River at Pont Fawr reached it’s highest levels in recent times, standing at 8.25 metres late on 16 March, an increase of over 3 metres in around 2 days.

Levels of the Conwy River at Pont Fawr, Wales, March 2019. Image: Natural Resources Wales

England

Parts of northern England also saw some heavy rain from 16 to 17 March, 2019.

The Environment Agency said it had reports of “localised flooding” in the Calder Valley, Greater Manchester, York and the areas around the River Severn in the Midlands.

Flooding disrupted rail transport and blocked several roads were closed. Lancashire Fire Service said they were called on to rescue people from vehicles trapped in flood water. Firefighters also rescued a flock of 170 sheep from rising flood water after the River Ribble burst its banks in Samlesbury near Preston in Lancashire.

As of 18 March there remained 20 flood warnings and 30 flood alerts in place, with as many as 70 flood warnings and flood alerts removed in the last 24 hours.

The Environment Agency has installed temporary flood barriers along the River Sever in the Midlands area. Dave Throup, Environment Agency manager for Herefordshire and Worcestershire, said via Social Media, “The Severn is a slow river. It takes 4 to 5 days for rainfall to work its way through the system. As a result levels will be high and flood risk raised for a couple more days from Saturday’s rain.”

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