Chaos across UK as Thames and Trent break their banks and deluge forces evacuations and triggers 302 flood warnings
- Trains blocked in southern England due to flooding, landslips and trees on line
- Major incident in Nottinghamshire due to rising river levels along the River Trent
- Firefighters evacuate 50 people in Hackney, East London, due to major flooding
Flooding misery spread across Britain today as hundreds of people were evacuated, cows drowned, rail lines were blocked and roads turned to rivers amid torrential rain.
The cows died in floodwater in Derbyshire which prompted an animal welfare probe, major rivers including the Thames and Trent broke their banks in places and the Environment Agency issued more than 600 flood alerts or warnings in England.
Trains on Great Western Railway, Southern, South Western Railway and Southeastern were blocked today due to a mixture of flooding, landslips and trees on the line. And some schools were closed due to flooding – including in Wiltshire and Berkshire.
In East London, 50 people were evacuated after streets turned into rivers in Hackney Wick with ten fire engines and 70 firefighters called to the scene when water started racing down the banks of the canal into residential streets and ground floor flats.
And Nottinghamshire County Council declared a major incident ‘due to rising levels along the River Trent’, telling residents in flood-risk areas to prepare to evacuate.
Today, there were 302 flood warnings and 332 alerts in England plus 13 alerts and two warnings from Natural Resources Wales – giving a UK total of 649. It comes as:
- 1,000 properties have been flooded this week, including hundreds overnight;
- Peaks along the River Trent could near the highest levels on record from 2000;
- A party boat which acts as a floating bar and nightclub sank in the River Thames;
- Sandown’s £100,000 racing meeting tomorrow is off due to waterlogged track.
Following 40 days of continuous rain, showers continued into this morning affecting parts of south-western and eastern areas as well as parts of Wales and Scotland.
But the weather is set to improve this weekend – with more settled, colder conditions moving in and bringing an increased chance of sunshine and frosty nights.
The highest rainfall totals recorded yesterday were 35.2mm (1.4in) at Otterbourne in Hampshire, with a range of 20mm (0.8in) to 30mm (1.2in) across much of the South.
The Environment Agency revealed more than 1,000 properties had been flooded this week in England, including hundreds overnight into this morning.
The agency’s executive flood director Caroline Douglass told BBC Breakfast: ‘We’re a country that’s wet and we always do get a lot of rainfall. Over November and December, following Storm Babet and Storm Ciaran, the ground was incredibly saturated right across the country, particularly in the east.
‘That’s been topped up over the pre-Christmas period. Rainfall from this week has just added to that, so there’s nowhere for the water to go. In that situation we get more flooding and greater impacts than we’ve seen and probably in areas where people aren’t used to it.’
In Gloucestershire, police warned of road closures due to rising water levels around Tewkesbury.
An evacuation centre was set up in the nearby village Walton Cardiff while people living on Alney Island, between two branches of the River Severn, in nearby Gloucester were urged to leave their homes for a nearby leisure centre.
The flooding caused significant delays and cancellations to trains today, with Great Western Railway warning of ‘major disruption’ until the end of the day.
National Rail said: ‘Great Western Railway are currently experiencing significant disruption on the network and customers are advised to please check your journey before you travel.
‘Flooding and a serious incident near Reading last night, which involved police taking control of the line, has left trains and crew in the wrong place.
‘Short-notice cancellations and a reduced level of service on long-distance routes are expected throughout the day.’
Due to flooding, GWR lines were closed today between Swindon and Bristol Parkway; Reading and Castle Cary; and Liskeard and Looe.
CrossCountry and Transport for Wales said flooding between Gloucester and Lydney meant that all lines were blocked.
There was disruption on Southern services between Horsham and London Victoria due to a tree blocking the line at Ockley, meaning trains could not call at stations between Horsham and Dorking.
Elsewhere, a landslip at Arlesey was causing disruption to journeys between Stevenage and Peterborough which affected six operators – Grand Central, Great Northern, Hull Trains, LNER, Lumo and Thameslink.
Southeastern had major disruption this morning due to a landslip at Maidstone East.
It meant services could not run between Maidstone East and Otford, with passengers told to change at Otford for services to London Bridge, Waterloo East and London Charing Cross.
On the line from London Victoria to Ashford via Maidstone East, services were diverting via Paddock Wood between Otford and Ashford and were not call at any stations on the Maidstone East line. Passengers were told to change at Otford for a bus replacement running to Ashford via Maidstone East.
On the line from Ashford to London Victoria via Maidstone East, trains were running but could be delayed.
Separately, Southeastern added that a landslip at Robertsbridge meant trains running through the station were being cancelled.
Teams of engineers were on site this morning with disruption expected until at least 6pm – and trains were not running on the Hastings line between Battle and Tunbridge Wells.
Elsewhere, South Western Railway said services running across the whole network may be cancelled, delayed or revised due to the heavy rainfall and multiple incidents of flooding as well as a landslip.
The National Rail website said: ‘The sheer amount of rain falling on already wet and waterlogged areas, so close after Storm Henk earlier this week, meant that in many locations trains were unable to run as it would not have been safe to do so.
‘Whilst we expect water levels to drop and most of the network to reopen today, South Western Railway will not be able to operate services between Yeovil Junction and Exeter because of a landslip near Crewkerne.
‘Disruption to the rest of the network is expected to last throughout today due to displaced trains and crews. South Western Railway urges everyone to check before they travel to see whether their train is running as planned.’
Today, experts warned the impact of surface water and river flooding will continue to be ‘significant’ across parts of England following heavy rainfall.
Stefan Laeger, of the Environment Agency, said: ‘Significant surface water and river flooding impacts are possible across parts of the Midlands and the south and east of England due to heavy localised rainfall falling on already very saturated catchments.
‘Ongoing minor impacts are also likely across much of England over the next five days as some larger rivers slowly respond to recent and forecast rain.’
It comes just days after disruption caused by strong winds and rain from Storm Henk, which has left the ground saturated and more prone to flooding.
Nottinghamshire County Council said forecasts were showing that peaks along the River Trent could ‘come close to the highest levels on record from the year 2000’, adding that residents in areas along the Trent valley should be ‘prepared for flooding’.
A man stranded on his shed roof by floodwater was rescued by a crew from Highfields Fire Station who used a boat to bring him safely to land.
In a statement, the council said: ‘Key tributaries which feed in to the river Trent, including the river Derwent, the river Soar and the river Dove, have already reached their peaks and high water levels will now pass down the Trent, which is likely to lead to flooding to properties and roads.
‘Residents who live in the flood-risk areas are being asked to ensure they have preparations in place in case they are asked to evacuate.
‘Councils, emergency services and the Environment Agency have been providing emergency support to communities impacted and will continue to provide support across the county.’
Several residents of Radcliffe Residential Park, an estate of static caravans for the over-55s just to the east of the city, were evacuated due to high water levels.
Elsewhere, a number of cows drowned in the village of Sawley, Derbyshire, prompting an animal welfare investigation.
A statement from Derbyshire Constabulary said: Following calls relating to cattle in a flooded field at Sawley, close to the M1 officers from Derbyshire Constabulary’s Rural Crime Team attended with Derbyshire Fire Rescue Service and were able to save some of the cows.
‘Unfortunately, a number had already drowned and an animal welfare investigation is now underway.’
Following rainfall in London, a party boat which acts as a floating bar, restaurant and nightclub sank in the River Thames.
The Met Office had issued a yellow weather warning of rain from 12pm yesterday until 3am this morning and said there was a ‘small chance’ that communities could become cut off by flooded roads.
