Saturday, 16 Nov 2024

UK weather: 1,200 homes evacuated due to flooding with more rain on the way

About 1,200 homes have been evacuated in South Yorkshire due to flooding across England, with the Met Office warning more rain is on the way.

The Environment Agency said around 830 properties have been flooded, with homes evacuated in Bentley and Fishlake, near Doncaster.

Pumps set up around the village of Fishlake have removed 1.25 million tonnes of water in the past 24 hours, reducing water levels from two metres to 0.3 metres.

The Environment Agency said 1,000 people in 1,200 homes have been evacuated in South Yorkshire, including 40 from Fishlake.

Around 38 pumps are on site in the county to remove 50 million litres of water per hour to protect homes and businesses in the country.

The Environment Agency added that around 14,400 properties, including 5,000 in South Yorkshire, have been protected by flood defences.

They added further wet weather over the next 48 hours could bring “severe” flooding to places already affected by rising waters.

The agency had 113 flood warnings in place across England as of 6pm on Thursday, as well as 169 flood alerts.

Oxfordshire County Council said firefighters have rescued “a number of people” from vehicles stuck in floodwater.

Images posted online show the Oxfordshire village of Wendlebury, near Bicester, flooded after the nearby Wendlebury brook burst its banks due to heavy rain.

Wendlebury Parish Council advised people living near the brook to move their belongings “upstairs if at all possible”.

In Worcestershire, West Mercia Police said the A448 Kidderminster Road in Bromsgrove was “completely impassable” near Fox Lane and through Chaddesley Corbett.

The Met Office warned more rain was forecast to fall on the already flooded regions on Thursday.

Forecasters have issued a yellow weather alert for areas including Nottingham, Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire and Derby, warning of “heavy and persistent” rain until 10pm on Thursday.

A yellow weather alert for “widespread” rain is also in place for parts of Wales, southwest England and the West Midlands until 11.45pm.

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The agency has urged communities to check for flood warnings and follow the advice of emergency services.

Kate Marks, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: “Heavy rain today is expected to cause river and surface water flooding across parts of England, continuing into tomorrow in some areas, as well as potentially contributing to ongoing flood impacts in Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.

“Today we ask them to please remain vigilant and take steps to prepare for flooding by checking their flood risk regularly and making plans to stay safe.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited Stainforth, South Yorkshire, on Wednesday and one woman helping the recovery effort told him: “You’ve not helped us up to press. I don’t know what you’re here today for.”

Another said to him: “You’ve took your time, Boris, haven’t you?”

Mr Johnson had insisted: “We’ve been on it round the clock”.

More than 100 soldiers have been sent to South Yorkshire to help residents clean up and, during a visit to the town of Fishlake later in the day, Mr Johnson promised: “We will get people back on their feet.”

While Yorkshire prepared for more rain, parts of England and Wales were experiencing snow.

Dartmoor was covered in snow on Wednesday evening and police in the Welsh town of Ystradgynlais warned people to travel only if necessary after the weather saw several people stranded.

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