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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Clea Skopeliti (now), Jessica Murray and Frances Perraudin (earlier)

Storm Dennis: six severe flood warnings in place across England and Wales – as it happened

Chris Bryant, the Labour MP for Rhondda, has set up a GoFundMe page to support local people affected by Storm Dennis.

He said: “Seeing the floods devastate our communities is truly heartbreaking.

“Homes & businesses across the Rhondda have been affected by the winds and rain of Storm Dennis and many families will have lost everything.

“We’ve been inundated with offers of support and help. At present the emergency services are advising volunteers to stay safe but will require support in the aftermath.”

Updated

The search for a woman who went missing in Worcestershire has been called off until tomorrow, according to the BBC. The woman went missing in floodwater earlier today.

Updated

The storm continues to affect train travel, with severe disruptions on services to and from Manchester due to overhead wire damage at Stafford.

Updated

It’s Clea Skopeliti here, taking over from Jessica as Storm Dennis continues to batter parts of the UK.

New flood warnings have been issued along the River Avon:

Updated

Afternoon summary

Here’s a quick summary of how Storm Dennis has developed across the course of today, and some of the damage it has caused.

Flooding could continue into next week, experts warn

Flood hit areas could still feel the effects of the heavy rains brought by Storm Dennis after it has passed, experts have warned.

The Environment Agency urged people to remain vigilant and said “significant” river and surface water flooding is expected to continue into next week.

Flood duty manager Caroline Douglass added:

Storm Dennis will continue to bring disruptive weather into early next week, and there are flood warnings in place across much of England.

We urge people to check the flood risk in their area and remain vigilant.

An 80-metre cargo ship which had been abandoned and adrift in the mid-Atlantic for over a year has been swept ashore by Storm Dennis in Ireland.

According to Paschal Sheehy, an editor for Irish broadcaster RTÉ, the ship has run aground near Ballycotton in east Cork.

“The ship was high and dry on rocks at low tide at 5pm,” he said.

Aerial images show the scale of the devastation caused by flooding in the village of Crickhowell in south Wales.

An aerial view of the Welsh village of Crickhowell which has been cut off as the river Usk bursts its banks.
An aerial view of the Welsh village of Crickhowell which has been cut off after the river Usk bursts its banks. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Residents were evacuated from the village, which has become cut off after the River Usk burst its banks, by firefighters in inflatable rafts and helicopters were also deployed to assist with the rescue operation.

The Met Office has issued a red weather warning for rain in Wales and a yellow weather warning for wind for large parts of the UK.
The Met Office has issued a red weather warning for rain in Wales and a yellow weather warning for wind for large parts of the UK. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

While Wales has borne the brunt of the Storm Dennis damage today, other parts of the country are also feeling the effects.

There are a number of power cuts across the south of England, which UK Power Networks says it is working tirelessly to fix.

Meanwhile, there are 14,000 homes and businesses without power in Ireland, where orange wind warnings remain in place for many areas of the country.

Updated

Some more information about the man who died after falling into a river in south Wales today.

Dyfed-Powys police said a man in his 60s was seen entering the River Tawe near Gorsedd Park in Ystradgynlais, in south Wales, at about 10am on Sunday morning.

The force said he was rescued further along the river near Trebanos Rugby Club but despite paramedics battling to save his life he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said the death was not being treated as suspicious or being linked to the bad weather.

Two bodies were pulled from rough seas on Saturday, before the worst of the storm hit. One man was found following a huge search operation off Margate after an early-morning distress call, while another was found at Herne Bay.

Updated

Storm Dennis is set to move east overnight towards northern Scotland, the Met Office has said.

It posted a satellite picture of the current position of the storm, which has caused severe flooding across Wales and Midlands, as well as northern England and the Scottish borders.

Updated

The MP for Pontypridd has issued a statement saying she was “heartbroken” to see more than 600 people evacuated from their homes and placed in emergency accommodation last night.

Alex Davies-Jones said more than 1,000 homes have been damaged by the floods and there is damage to local infrastructure.

Updated

South Wales is reeling from Storm Dennis, which has brought severe flooding and landslides to the region, and led police to declare a major incident.

Streets have been evacuated by lifeboat in some of the worst-hit areas and people moved to emergency rescue centres after their properties and businesses were devastated by water from overflowing rivers.

Jennifer Gilmer, assistant chief constable with south Wales police, said:

I would like to reassure the public who have been affected that we are doing everything we can, and will continue to work tirelessly until all risks dissipate.

I have very clear advice for everybody, which is not to panic, and to be sensible, stay well clear of any danger such as streams and rivers, and contact us in an emergency.

The force have told people in affected areas to stay indoors unless a journey was necessary, avoid waterways, and monitor local and social media for updates.

One of the worst-hit areas in south Wales was the village of Nantgarw, Rhondda Cynon Taff, near Cardiff, which has had entire streets left underwater since the early hours of Sunday morning.

Members of the emergency services evacuate residents from flooded houses after the River Taff burst its banks in Nantgarw, in south Wales.
Members of the emergency services evacuate residents from flooded houses after the River Taff burst its banks in Nantgarw, in south Wales. Photograph: Geoff Caddick/AFP via Getty Images

Emergency teams including firefighters and volunteers had been evacuating the village’s Oxford Street since around 5am and were still working at midday on Sunday.

Paul Mason, the group manager of south Wales fire and rescue service, said the scene his team had faced was the worst he had experienced in his 31-year career.

We started getting calls at 5am. The water was up to the window sills in some instances, so we sent a number of boats and crews down here to assist with our partner agencies, systematically going through each of the houses, knocking on doors, trying to prioritise individuals.

This weather is unprecedented. We haven’t seen this, it’s incredible, and it’s right throughout the south Wales Valleys. In my 31 years in the service this is the worst I’ve ever seen. I’ve never experienced anything like this before.

Rescue operations continue as emergency services take residents of Oxford Street, Nantgarw to safety on inflatable rafts.
Rescue operations continue as emergency services take residents of Oxford Street, Nantgarw to safety on inflatable rafts. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA

He said some residents had refused to leave their homes despite being encouraged to, but would be monitored for their safety.

Melanie Hughes, 38, who was evacuated by lifeboat with along with her husband and two daughters, said she was awoken by shouting and car alarms in the early hours, and said many of their family’s possessions had been lost. She said:

Everyone’s safe, which is the main thing. We were lucky. But our cars, kitchen, furniture, it’s all gone. It’s going to be a couple of months of hard work, now. It was filthy, there was nothing to salvage.

Updated

A number of Welsh rugby clubs have been severely affected by Storm Dennis.

Bedwas RFC, a rugby union club near Caerphilly, south Wales, reported their lounge, function room, bar, cellar and rugby facilities have all been seriously damaged.

Rival team Cross Keys RFC also ended up underwater after severe downpours caused flooding across south Wales.

Man dies after falling into a river in Wales

A man has died after falling into the River Tawe, in south Wales, police said.

A tweet from the Ystradgynlais neighbourhood policing team at Dyfed Powys Police, said:

A male has fallen into the river at Ystradgynlais at approximately 10am this morning and has sadly be found deceased further along the river in the Tebanos area. If you witnessed this incident please can you give us a call on 101.

Six severe flood warnings across England and Wales

There are now six severe flood warnings in place across England and Wales, as Storm Dennis continues to bring rising water levels and landslides.

A severe flood warning means there is danger to life.

A member of the public and their dog are rescued after flooding in Nantgarw, Wales.
A member of the public and their dog are rescued after flooding in Nantgarw, Wales. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA

Hundreds more flood alerts and warnings are in place across the country, with it emerging earlier that this is the highest number of warnings in place on record.

There are two severe flooding warnings in Wales, one in the south-west and one in the south-east. In England, the warnings are in place for areas across Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire.

Updated

The flooding clean-up has begun in Newcastleton in the Scottish borders, where 80 homes were flooded and 12 streets left under water.

Members of the public start the clean up following flooding from Storm Dennis in Newcastleton.
Members of the public start the clean-up following flooding from Storm Dennis in Newcastleton. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Towns in the Scottish Borders including Jedburgh, Hawick and Newcastleton have experienced heavy flooding.
Towns in the Scottish Borders including Jedburgh, Hawick and Newcastleton have experienced heavy flooding. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Two people had to be rescued by emergency services after their car was swept off the road by flood waters near Newcastleton. They were taken to hospital and have since been discharged.

Three rivers in the Borders reached the highest on the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency’s records and residents in Newcastleton reported experiencing some of the worst flooding in the village’s history.

Hawick’s Slitrig Water, the Jed Water at Chesters and the Liddel Water at Newcastleton saw a rapid rise in water levels caused by Storm Dennis.

Updated

Nearly 16cm of rainfall in 48 hours and wind speeds of 91mph have been recorded as Storm Dennis continues to cause chaos across the UK.

The highest rainfall occurred in south Wales, where Crai Resr received 157.6mm of rainfall in 48 hours.

The highest wind speeds of 91mph were recorded in Aberdaron on the Welsh coast.

Dramatic footage has emerged of a landslide in Rhondda valley, south Wales.

Earlier, South Wales police declared a major incident in the area after flooding and landslides caused by Storm Dennis.

Chris Bryant, the MP for Rhondda, has set up a fundraiser for those affected by the flooding. The appeal reads:

Seeing the floods devastate our communities is truly heartbreaking. Homes and businesses across the Rhondda have been affected by the winds and rain of Storm Dennis and many families will have lost everything.

Updated

There are high river levels and flooding across Derbyshire, with the Environment Agency warning people against driving through flood water, and to take care when walking near rivers.

Major incident declared in Herefordshire

A major incident has been declared in Herefordshire as flooding in the area escalates.

Emergency response partners including Herefordshire council, West Mercia police, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Fire and Rescue, the Environment Agency and health partners are working to support residents and protect the most vulnerable.

An evacuation centre has been set up at Holmer Leisure Centre on Holmer Road, Hereford.

There is a severe flood warning in place for the River Teme at Little Hereford and Ashford Carbonel.

Updated

The Red Cross has urged people to prepare “should the worst happen”, as water levels are expected to peak in the coming days.

Georgie Timmins, crisis response officer at British Red Cross, said:

The storms are expected to continue, and water is anticipated to be at peak levels on Monday and Tuesday. It is important people are ready should the worst happen. It’s a good idea to ensure your phone is fully charged and you have torches at hand.

A man walks through flood water near Oxford Street in Nantgarw, Wales
A man walks through flood water near Oxford Street in Nantgarw, Wales. Photograph: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images

The Red Cross is working with local authorities around the country to support those affected by Storm Dennis. Timmins said:

We are currently responding in Shropshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and Gloucestershire, and we are currently ready to help in Wales, Manchester, Buckinghamshire, Lancashire and Inverness.

Our volunteers know that when people are caught up in a crisis, one person’s needs are different to the next person.

Updated

Police declare major incident in south Wales

South Wales police have declared a major incident over flooding and landslides caused by Storm Dennis, with an emergency response dealing with “serious disruption”.

They said:

Due to this morning’s flooding and severe weather-related incident which have occurred overnight and through the course of the morning, a major incident was declared and South Wales police is coordinating a major response.

People have been evacuated from their homes in Monmouthshire and Neath, and a Met Office amber warning for rain remains in place across most parts of Wales until 3pm.

Residents of Nantgarw are evacuated in a rescue boat, after flooding in the Welsh village.
Residents of Nantgarw are evacuated in a rescue boat, after flooding in the Welsh village. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA

There are four severe flood warnings in place in England and Wales, meaning there is a threat to life in those areas.

This morning, the Met Office issued its first red rain warning since 2015.

Updated

A building has partially collapsed on Canterbury Road in Herne Bay, Kent. There are no reports of casualties.

Bricks and debris cover damaged cars after part of a building collapsed in Herne Bay.
Bricks and debris cover damaged cars after a building collapsed in Herne Bay. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images

The roof of the building partially gave way, leaving cars parked below buried under fallen bricks.

Exposed roof timbers as high winds cause a building to partially collapse in Herne Bay.
Roof timbers left exposed as high winds caused the building to partially collapse. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images

Updated

A number of train services have been suspended across the country due to disruption caused by Storm Dennis.

In Wales, the following lines are closed due to flooding:

  • Ebbw Vale to Crosskeys.
  • Gobowen to Wrexham.
  • Conwy Valley Line.
  • The Cambrian line.
  • The Marches line.
  • Lydney to Gloucester.
  • Shrewsbury to Wellington.

Passengers travelling into and out of Devon and Cornwall have been told to travel only if necessary, as flooding has closed lines between Exeter St Davids and Taunton and Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple.

In the north, there will be no trains from Carlisle to Leeds, and no train or tram service at Rotherham Central today.

The line between Hebden Bridge and Sowerby Bridge in west Yorkshire has reopened after heavy flooding, but disruption is still expected.

You can find details information about train disruption at National Rail Enquiries.

Updated

Record number of flood warnings in place

It’s Jessica Murray here, taking over from Frances on the live blog as Storm Dennis continues to batter parts of the UK.

There are now more flood warnings and alerts in force in England than any other day on record, according to John Curtin, executive director of flood and coastal risk management at the Environment Agency.

There are a total of 594 warning and alerts, including two severe flood warnings which indicate a danger to life.

Feel free to send updates on the situation where you are - jessica.murray@theguardian.com or via Twitter (@journojess_).

Jeremy Parr, the head of flood and incident risk management for Natural Resources Wales, said in a statement:

The forecast is for very significant levels of rain, especially in the eastern valleys of south Wales. Impacts could be severe overnight, and everyone should take the warnings extremely seriously.

We are working hard to make sure communities are as prepared as possible and urge people to take care and make arrangements to be safe.

People are advised to take great care if you need to travel. If you are out, take extreme caution and never drive or walk through flood waters.

Keep an eye on the forecast and visit our website for the latest information on flood warnings. You can find practical advice on flooding on our website too.

Updated

Month's rain fell in 48 hours in south Wales, says Met office

The Met Office has issued a new statement on the impact of Storm Dennis across the UK.

The organisation’s chief meteorologist, Andy Page, said:

Whilst the heaviest rain has cleared from Northern Ireland and Scotland, England and Wales will continue to see heavy rain on Sunday, with a risk of severe flooding in places.

In particular, heavy rain has led to severe flooding across parts of south Wales triggering a red rain warning, where around 140mm of rain in total could fall, before it gradually eases this afternoon.

At Cray Reservoir, Powys, south Wales, 132.8mm of rain was recorded between 7am on Saturday 14 and 8am on Sunday 15. The average rainfall in Wales for the month of February is 110.8mm.

Page continued:

There is a risk of significant impacts from flooding in this area, including a danger to life from fast flowing water, extensive flooding to property and road closures. As such we are urging people to follow the safety advice from officials and to keep a close eye on the latest Met Office weather warnings.

Updated

Police search for woman seen entering sea at Brighton

A search is under way for a woman who was seen going into the water at the beach in Brighton in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A spokesman for Sussex police said:

At 0245 on Sunday, today, 16 February, police received a report that a woman, believed to be in her early 20s, had been seen to enter the water from the beach at Brighton opposite Kings Road.

She’s not so far been found despite an extensive search during the hours of darkness in both sea and on shore by emergency services including Coastguard, Sussex police and Brighton beach patrol staff.

The weather has been very bad, with rain and high winds. The circumstances are currently being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.

Updated

Emergency service crews rescued two people “in the nick of time” after their car was swept from the road and pinned to a metal gate by a torrent of flood water, reports PA Media.

Specialist fire crews waded into the fast-flowing water in the Scottish Borders to save the pair from the “extremely dangerous situation” after a river had burst its banks.

Photos of the rescue and its aftermath show the Volkswagen Golf in a field, perpendicular to the Newcastleton road. The two people were taken to hospital by paramedics, but have since been discharged and were able to return home.

Updated

Crowdfunder launched for flood-hit Pontypridd

MP Alex Davies-Jones and AM Mick Antoniw have set up this crowdfunder to raise money to help those affected by the flooding in Pontypridd.

Seeing the floods devastate our communities is truly heartbreaking. Homes & businesses across the Pontypridd constituency have been affected by Storm Dennis and we’ve been inundated with offers of support and help.

Updated

Welsh Water has posted this dramatic video of the “difficult conditions” at Pontsticil reservoir in the Brecon Beacons national park.

Sky News correspondent Dan Whitehead has tweeted this video from Pontypridd in south Wales.

Alex Davies-Jones, the MP for Pontypridd, has tweeted that she is working with the authorities to see what can be done to help those affected by serious flooding in the area.

The leader of Calderdale council, Tim Swift, has told the BBC the area has been let down by central government. The region is regularly affected by flooding.

There are some real challenges here, but we have been hit by austerity which makes it much harder for us as a council to respond and although there is money available for flood defences, it’s hard to get these schemes completed quickly.

... The thing that frustrates me the most is that this is the third serious storm we’ve had in eight years – the first bad flooding being in 2012 and there was really no progress then on the government making money available into flood defences.

It was only after the devastating floods on Boxing Day, so I feel to some extent the Environment Agency has been running to catch up since then.

Updated

Highways England has said Storm Dennis is expected to affect all regions and that people should only travel if necessary. You can see a list of road closures on the agency’s website here.

Updated

People on social media are sharing photographs of what looks like serious flooding in Pontypridd, 12 miles north of Cardiff, and in Crickhowell near Abergavenny.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (Sepa) highest warning level remains in force for Newcastleton and Hawick in the Borders on Sunday after they advised some residents to leave their homes.

Sepa flood duty manager Mark McLaughlin said on Saturday:

Severe flood warnings for areas in the Scottish Borders have been issued tonight as we continue to see rivers respond to the impacts of Storm Dennis. These warnings mean that extensive flooding is expected to properties and businesses with many roads impassable. Some evacuations have been advised.

The severe flood warnings have been issued for Teviot and Slitrig at Hawick and Newcastleton. We advise people to stay away from flood water and to not take unnecessary risks ... If you are affected or concerned about flooding please contact the emergency services.

A red weather warning is in place in a part of south Wales until 11am today. The Met Office website has more detail about what that means and what you can do to stay safe in a storm.

What to expect:

  • Danger to life from fast flowing or deep floodwater.
  • Extensive flooding to homes and businesses is likely.
  • Collapsed or damaged buildings or bridges.
  • Road closures and bus and train service delays and cancellations.
  • Dangerous driving conditions because of spray and flooded roads.
  • Loss of power and other essential services, such as gas, water and mobile phone service.
  • Communities could be completely cut off by flood water, perhaps for several days.

Updated

Hello and welcome to our Storm Dennis live blog as heavy winds and rain continue to hit the UK. Roads have been shut and train services suspended.

The Met Office has issue a red weather warning for South Wales, meaning there is a likely risk to life.

There are 224 flood warnings in place, meaning flooding is expected and immediate action required. There are two severe flood warnings in place, meaning there is a danger to life, both at points along the river Teme in Worcestershire.

There are a further 336 less serious flood alerts, covering an area from Scotland’s River Tweed to the rivers of west Cornwall.

The Met office forecaster Greg Dewhurst has said relief from Storm Dennis is still some distance away and that “heavy rain and strong winds” would continue across large parts of the UK on Sunday.

“South Wales will see a lot of rain fall before Dennis moves north later to Scotland and Northern Ireland,” he said.

We’ll bring you updates as we have them.

Updated

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