UK weather: Heavy rain to fall on parts of the country days after Storm Babet left at least seven people dead | UK News
A fresh deluge of rain is set to fall on parts of the UK days after Storm Babet caused widespread flooding and left seven people dead.
The warning for “heavy rain” will be in place between 3am and 4pm today.
It covers a vast swathe of England already hit by flooding and could lead to further floods in the East Midlands, including Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire, as well as much of Yorkshire, including Sheffield, Leeds and York, and Humberside.
The Met Office has said there is a “small chance” homes and businesses could be flooded.
The forecaster has also warned that fast-flowing or deep floodwater could cause a danger to life and that some communities will be cut off by flooded roads.
It comes after the flood risk in England and Wales remained at medium yesterday as the number of dead from Storm Babet rose to at least seven people.
Yellow weather warning in place for Tuesday Pic: Met Office
Rachel Ayers, Met Office meteorologist, said a few places, most likely Lincolnshire and Humberside, could see 30 to 50mm of rain, while southern England and Wales could experience 10 to 20mm.
She said there will be “some respite” across Scotland on Tuesday after its battering by the storm.
“The weather we are seeing on Tuesday is no longer associated with Storm Babet,” Ms Ayers said.
“We will see some heavy rain in areas affected by flooding during Storm Babet though the worst impacted areas in Scotland will remain mostly dry on Tuesday.”
She continued: “Within the warning area we could see some travel disruption due to spray and flooding on roads.
“There is a small chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life, or that some communities could be cut off due to flooded roads.”
Hundreds left homeless after storm
Reports of floods to the Environment Agency (EA) reached the highest level since 2015/16 at the peak of the storm, Rebecca Pow, an environment minister, told the House of Commons on Monday.
The EA issued more than 300 flood warnings and received more than 1,800 calls to its flood line, she said.
Hundreds of people have been left homeless in the wake of Storm Babet, with about 1,250 properties in England flooded, according to the EA.
Ms Pow said investigations are expected.
A total of 13 areas broke their daily rainfall records for October last week, including sites in Suffolk, South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Wiltshire, Kincardineshire, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Northumberland, Derbyshire and Humberside, the Met Office said.
Meanwhile, Environment Secretary Therese Coffey visited flood-hit Retford in Nottinghamshire on Monday and said residents were asking “why stuff hasn’t happened” since the last major floods in 2007.
She told Sky News: “[Since 2007], between 2015 and 2021 we’ve invested £2.6bn in flood defences right across the country, that was over 300,000 homes. We’re partway through a programme of spending a further £5.2 billion over a six-year time period.”
Ms Coffey added that it may take “several months” for some people to move back into their homes after the flooding.
She said: “But let’s see what we can do to try and speed some of that along and that’s why our officials have already been in touch with insurers and similar.”
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‘You deal with it!’: Members of public confront environment secretary
Members of the emergency services help local residents to safety in Brechin, Scotland, as Storm Babet battered the country
Tragedies throughout storm area
The number of deaths rose on Monday as police recovered the body of a man after reports that a person was trapped in a vehicle in floodwater near Marykirk, Aberdeenshire, on Friday.
Police Scotland said that formal identification is still to take place, however next of kin have been informed.
On Saturday, 83-year-old Maureen Gilbert was found dead in her flooded home in Tapton Terrace, Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
Mrs Gilbert’s neighbours said five feet of water had engulfed the inside of their properties “within minutes” of the River Rother bursting its banks.
The scene in Rotherham where homes were evacuated
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Storm Babet: Son finds mother’s body
Wendy Taylor, 57, also died after being swept into the Water of Lee, Glen Esk, on Thursday.
Mrs Taylor was described as “the beloved wife, best friend and soulmate in life to George, mother to James, Sally and Susanna and Granny to India and George”.
Her family said she was “a ray of sunshine for everyone who was fortunate enough to know her” in a tribute issued through Police Scotland.
Flooding in Midleton, Co Cork caused by Storm Babet
Two women also died after a five-vehicle crash on the M4 on Friday which is believed to have been weather-related.
Four cars and an HGV were involved in the crash on the eastbound carriageway between junction 17 for Chippenham and junction 18 for Bath.
A 56-year-old driver, John Gillan, died when a tree fell on his van near Forfar in Angus on Thursday and a man in his 60s died after getting caught in fast-flowing floodwater in the town of Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire, on Friday.
Mr Gillan’s family said he was a loving husband, dad, grandad and son.
