Major incident declared as Storm Claudia causes flooding and disruption
2 hours agoRuth Comerford, Zahra Fatima and Alun Thomas,Monmouth
A major incident has been declared in Monmouth following severe and widespread flooding caused by Storm Claudia.
Emergency services have been carrying out rescues, evacuations, and welfare checks since the incident was declared in the town at 01:30 GMT on Saturday, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said.
Wet conditions are expected to continue for many on Saturday as the UK heads towards a cold snap next week.
Floods Minister Emma Hardy said that though the weather is now “more settled” there “remains a risk of ongoing river flooding”. Some 49 flood warnings have been issued for England, while nine flood warnings are in place across Wales.
Chance of snow in UK this week after Storm Claudia clears
A number of businesses and homes in Monmouth town centre flooded after the River Monnow burst its banks. Some locals have been evacuated to the local library amid “danger to life” warnings.
“I haven’t seen it this bad in Monmouth for 20 to 30 years,” said local county councillor Martin Newell, who has a business in the town, adding that he was “absolutely heartbroken” for those affected.
One family described the moment they were left “holding on to a tree” after their car was submerged by floodwater as they travelled from Hereford train station to Abergavenny.
Monmouthshire County Council has urged motorists to avoid travelling in the local area.
Crews were called to 82 flood-related incidents in the area, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said, adding that there was “concern” about the possible effects of high tide at 16:00 GMT.
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Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said some areas were expected to have seen up to a month’s worth of rain between Friday and Saturday.
The Environment Agency said 20 properties had flooded in England as a result of Storm Claudia, including some in Cumbria.
Officers from the agency were clearing debris and erecting temporary defences where required in affected areas, it added.
The British Red Cross said it had placed its emergency response teams on standby to help communities most at risk.
Beyond the weekend, sub-zero temperatures and potentially snow are expected for some, with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issuing a cold weather alert from 08:00 GMT on Monday until the following Friday which covers the north of England and Midlands.
Friday’s downpours have caused some travel disruption, with National Rail warning of delays and cancellations over the weekend.
- Service disruption is expected throughout Saturday for Avanti West Coast, as-well as Transport for Wales, London Northwestern Railway, Northern and West Midlands Railway services
- CrossCountry services: All services between Stockport and Macclesfield will be cancelled or diverted due to damage to overhead wires between these stations. Multiple services running from Manchester Piccadilly are likely to be affected – with disruption expected until 18:00
- No trains will be running between Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport until the end of Saturday due to a fallen tree on the track
- Great Western Railway: Lines between Exeter St. Davids and Barnstaple are expected to be closed until Sunday evening due to flooding – with rail replacement buses in place. Services between Swindon and Bristol Parkway, as-well as Chippenham and Bath Spa may be disrupted until 16:00 due to flooding, as services begin to resume. Meanwhile passengers are advised all services between Liskeard and Looe will be cancelled due to heavy flooding, with disruption expected to last until the end of the day.
The AA has advised against travelling in the “hazardous weather”, saying: “Safety comes first. Conditions may change quickly, so stay updated and make sure you’re prepared before you travel.”
Some events have already been disrupted by the weather, including a Christmas event – Lapland UK – in Macclesfield being forced to shut because of falling trees.
Racing went ahead at Cheltenham despite earlier fears that the rain would have left the track unusable.
PA MediaStorm Claudia – named by the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) – has already brought heavy rain and strong winds to Spain and Portugal.
The storm comes as the Environment Agency warned that England will experience widespread drought next year without a wet winter.
The country has received only 83% of the average rainfall for January to October, and suffered the driest spring for 132 years and the hottest summer on record.
Despite recent rainfall, the situation remains “precarious”, it said.
Reuters