Storm Claudia: major incident declared after severe flooding in UK | UK weather
The aftermath of Storm Claudia was declared a major incident; More rain and flooding is expected in Britain and Ireland on Saturday.
Four severe flood warnings have been issued by Natural Resources Wales as of 6am. This means “there is a serious risk to life and significant disruption to society is expected.”
The yellow weather warning for rain across central and northern England, the south-west and Wales ended at 6am on Saturday.
South Wales fire and rescue crews declared a major incident in Monmouth following “severe and widespread” flooding in the town and surrounding communities in the early hours of Saturday.
Crews are working with Gwent police, ambulance services, mountain rescue, coastguard and neighboring fire and rescue services to carry out welfare checks, evacuation and rescue operations.
Fire site manager Matt Jones said conditions remained challenging with fast-moving water, road closures and pressure on infrastructure. He said: “This is a large-scale incident and our teams and partners have been working tirelessly throughout the night and into today to help those affected.
“I would like to thank everyone involved for the professionalism and care they continue to demonstrate in very difficult circumstances. “I would urge the public to avoid the Monmouth area altogether wherever possible.
“The flooding is massive and we need to keep the roads open so emergency services can reach the people who need us most. If you are in danger of life or property or need urgent assistance, please call 999.”
According to the Met Office, scattered rain and drizzle will continue in England and Wales, while drier, brighter conditions and some sunny spells can be expected in Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick said: “Overnight [on] Throughout Saturday and Sunday we will start to see winds shift a little more northerly, bringing plenty of Arctic air.
“The clouds will clear throughout the day, so some sunlight will be allowed in, but with that it will also be colder. I think people will really feel a coolness and feel cold in many areas by Sunday.”
“Things are starting to get a little brighter, less stormy, but it’s going to be a lot colder and we’ll see a continuation of that into next week.”
The UK Health Safety Agency has issued a cold weather warning for the Midlands and parts of northern England from Monday. Disruption is expected until Saturday and National Rail has advised passengers to check before travelling.
The storm also affected rail restoration services on the roads, with roadside assistance companies reporting a busy day with many calls on Friday.
A yellow level rain warning is in effect for counties Armagh and Down in Northern Ireland until midday on Saturday, which poses a risk of flooding and hazardous travel conditions. Power outages have been reported in Ireland, leaving many businesses and homes disrupted.
An orange rain warning was in place for counties Dublin, Wexford and Wicklow until 8am, while a yellow rain warning was in place for 10 other counties, mostly on the east and south coasts.
