Storm Bert has killed five people while causing havoc across the country amid major flooding following 82mph winds, heavy snow and close to a month’s worth of rain.
At Tenbury Wells in Worcestershire, a dramatic video showed the moment the town flooded after the nearby Kyre Brook rose and caused a wall to collapse. Rescue workers were heard urging people to ‘get back’ as water gushed through the streets.
More than 400 flood alerts or warnings were issued across Britain today – including 206 alerts and 157 warnings in England; and 29 alerts and ten warnings in Wales. There were three severe flood warnings, while Scotland had four warnings in place.
The storm initially brought blizzards when it barrelled in over the weekend – but flurries were quickly swept away as up to three quarters of a month’s rain turned rivers into torrents, flooding homes, causing transport disruption and power cuts.
Bert has claimed five lives – the latest being a man in his 80s who died after his car entered water at a ford on Cockhill Lane in Foulridge, Lancashire, on Saturday.
And rescuers yesterday found the body of a pensioner reported missing after going to walk his dog near the swollen River Conwy in North Wales, 24 hours earlier.
Police divers and mountain rescue volunteers had scoured the banks of the river near Trefriw to search for Brian Perry, 75, before making the tragic discovery. He was visiting the area and his wife raised the alarm after he failed to return from the walk.
There were three deaths on the roads on Saturday – including Mohammed Wahid, 34, whose car hit a wall in the heavy snow in Shipley, West Yorkshire, just before 1pm.
A man in his 60s died when his Mercedes was hit by a tree on the A34 at Winnall, Hampshire. And a man in his 40s died on the A45 near Flore, Northamptonshire.
Strong winds, waves and rain brought by Storm Bert at Newhaven in West Sussex yesterday
Fields are flooded at Colyford in Devon yesterday after the River Axe burst its banks
More than 400 flood alerts or warnings were issued across Britain today – including 206 alerts (in amber) and 157 warnings (in red) in England from the Environment Agency
As the rain fell in Wales, residents of riverside homes in Pontypridd grabbed buckets, bins and any other containers they could find to bail water from their properties.
Two severe flood warnings, meaning there is danger to life, have been issued for the River Monnow in south-east Wales for Monmouth and Skenfrith, after a major incident was declared in the nearby Rhondda Cynon Taf region yesterday.
In England, a severe flood warning has been issued for Billing Aquadrome and surrounding parks next to the River Nene in Northampton.
Weather warnings remained in place yesterday, as further rain fell in South Wales and Southern England, with winds gusting at 50 to 60mph.
It followed Saturday’s strongest winds of 82mph at Capel Curig, Snowdonia, and 78mph on the Isle of Wight.
Royal Parks took the unusual step of closing all nine parks in London yesterday – including Hyde Park, which is currently hosting the Winter Wonderland event – due to ‘inclement weather’.
And yesterday morning, engineers were still working to reconnect tens of thousands of homes left without power.
Heroic young father Andre Randles pulled his 11-month-old son from the window of his sinking Volkswagen hatchback in Todmorden, West Yorkshire – with seconds to spare before his car was dragged below the water after the River Calder burst its banks on Saturday.
Mr Randles’s girlfriend, marketing manager Paige Newsome, said: ‘[It was] such a scary experience for Andre having to pull himself and our 11-month-old baby out of the car windows, while the water was flooding in.’
Ms Newsome, who also had to flee the car, said her builder boyfriend had driven into the flooded road because it looked like shallow water – before being surprised by a sudden dip.
She added she ‘dreaded to think’ what would have happened if Mr Randles ‘hadn’t thought fast enough’.
The storm will continue to bring disruption into today after torrential downpours caused ‘devastating’ flooding over the weekend.
Hundreds of homes were left underwater, roads were turned into rivers and winds of up to 82mph were recorded across parts of the UK.
The last of the Met Office’s rain warnings ended at 11.59pm last night but strong winds persist and rain from high ground will reach rivers, which could disrupt clean-up efforts.
South Wales will be counting the cost of the storm after a major incident was declared in the Rhondda Cynon Taf region yesterday amid fears of a more significant impact than during Storm Dennis in 2020.
People pour water out of the front garden of properties on Sion Street in Pontypridd yesterday
Farmers near Chudleigh Knighton in Devon waterski on the flooded road yesterday
Flooding at Cross Keys Rugby Club in Newport, South Wales, following Storm Bert yesterday
Between 200 and 300 properties in the area were affected by flooding, with local leaders expressing surprise at the extent of the rainfall.
Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan said it had been ‘a really difficult weekend’.
She said: ‘I think this is the second time that many of those have suffered as a result of the storm.
‘There’s been huge investments since the last storm hit, so we’ve managed to protect lots more properties than last time.
‘But obviously this is absolutely devastating just before Christmas for those people who have been impacted.’
At a press conference in Pontypridd yesterday afternoon, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council leader Andrew Morgan said he was ‘amazed’ that only a yellow weather warning had been issued by the Met Office.
‘On Saturday we were preparing for the possibility of an amber warning,’ he said.
‘It didn’t come but we took the decision ourselves to step up our resources and have depots open and crews in.
‘I am surprised there wasn’t a red warning issued. During Storm Dennis we saw an amber warning in advance and a red warning issued in the early hours. I do think that will need to be reviewed shortly.’
The Met Office forecast that rain in the south-east of England will clear on today but blustery showers could stick around for the north-west.
Rail passengers have been urged not to travel between Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, and Stansted Airport after multiple fallen trees damaged the electrical overhead wires. Major disruption is expected until 2pm today.
Southern, which runs rail services across the south-east of England, said some services today will be cancelled or revised because of forecast severe weather, including on its London network and the West Coastway between Havant and Southampton.
Services across other rail companies could start later than normal as tracks which were flooded or hit by fallen trees are inspected.
Last night, some major roads were closed due to the ongoing impacts of flooding.
The Fire Service and South Gloucestershire Council have reported flooding across several areas of the region.
Flooded roads include the A431 around Bath Road in Swineford, Shire Way Yate and adjacent roads, St Johns Way in Chipping Sodbury and adjacent roads, Stidcot Lane in Tytherington, Perrinpitt Lane in Bristol, and Old Gloucester Road in Winterbourne.
The M32 in Bristol was closed northbound between J1 near Hambrook and the M4 J19, and the A49 in Shropshire and Herefordshire was closed in both directions between Ludlow and Holmer.
In Northampton, police advised motorists to avoid the following Storm Bert-related road closures on Monday: Andrew’s Road and its surrounding areas, St James’ Park Road along Victoria Park, Dallington close to the brook, London Road/Bridge Street in Far Cotton, and Bedford Road.
Also in Northampton, London Northwestern Railway reports that no rail services will operate to and from Northampton Station.
There is also no road access to the station, so rail replacement buses will be unable to run.
Thameslink reports a points failure has occurred between Herne Hill and Tulse Hill with all lines in this area disrupted with delays and possible diversions or route alterations possible on Monday.
Some 350,000 homes in England lost power during the storm, though most have since been reconnected.
More than 300 flights set to depart from UK airports were cancelled during Storm Bert, aviation analytics firm Cirium said.
Heathrow Airport was worst affected, with crosswinds of up to 40mph causing disruption to departures and arrivals on Sunday.
Simon Brown, services director at the Met Office, said: ‘Our thoughts are with those who are currently affected with the impacts caused by Storm Bert in South Wales, as well as the rest of the country.
‘As always with a named storm, a full assessment of the forecast and warning strategy will take place with our partners.
‘But this assessment is carried out post-event, therefore I would expect this to take place over the coming days.
‘Storm Bert was well forecast, 48 hours in advance, with a number of warnings in place ahead of the system reaching the UK.
‘We work closely with partners to assess the potential risks of extreme weather and the warnings covering Wales highlighted the potential for homes and businesses to flood with fast-flowing or deep floodwater possible, causing a danger to life.’
Yesterday, large rainfall accumulations were seen, with some places experiencing an excess of 130mm (5in) in the last 24 hours.
In some more exposed areas, wind gusts of over 75 miles per hour were experienced.
Heavy snow also fell on Saturday, with five inches in Leek, Staffordshire, and more than two inches in Bingley, West Yorkshire.
Bert is the second named storm of the season after the 100mph Storm Ashley on October 20-21.
Sir Keir Starmer said he has spoken to Ms Morgan about the flooding in Wales and added that he was receiving updates on Storm Bert as it developed.
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