Storm Babet: Met Office rain warning issued for flood-hit parts of England

Storm Babet: Met Office rain warning issued for flood-hit parts of England
News Desk

By News Desk


Published: 24/10/2023

Parts of England hit by flooding have been told to expect more heavy rain, after the UK-wide death toll from Storm Babet is believed to have risen to at least seven.

A yellow rain warning in force across Yorkshire and the East Midlands is set to last until 16:00 BST on Tuesday.

More than 90 flood warnings are in place after Storm Babet, including in areas forecast for more rain this week.

The Environment Agency said flooding could last until Wednesday in England.

It said around 1,250 homes in England had already been impacted and an estimated 30,000 properties needed flood protections.

A number of rivers in Yorkshire and the Humber and the East Midlands burst their banks over the weekend.

The latest Met Office yellow rain warning stretches south from York to Nottingham and west from the North Sea coast to the Peak District.

Numerous points along the River Severn are expected to be affected in the coming days. The Environment Agency has also warned widespread flooding is probable in parts of the Midlands and the North of England.

Derby City Council said the River Derwent saw record-breaking water levels over the weekend.

Dozens of homes were evacuated near the River Idle in Retford, Nottinghamshire with a rest centre set up at a leisure centre, while major roads were also closed.

Two severe flood warnings for the River Idle, as well three for the River Derwent in Derby, were lifted on Sunday evening.

On Monday, Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf visited Brechin, in Angus, where dozens of homes were flooded when the River South Esk burst its banks.

He described the flooding as "unprecedented" with more than a month's worth of rainfall over last weekend.

He said discussions would continue with the local authority over the coming "days, weeks and months" about what support the government could provide, potentially including money for flood defence improvements.

Conservative councillor Gavin Nicol, who represents Brechin on the Angus Council, called for more funding from the Scottish government, saying the impacts of the floods will be felt for "months and years".

He said the finances were needed to protect and rehome residents, including some who may have to move permanently.

At least seven people across England and Scotland are now known to have been killed in the flooding.

  • Maureen Gilbert, 83, was found dead in her flooded home in Chesterfield on Saturday
  • On Friday, a man in his 60s died after being swept away in flood water when a brook breached in Shropshire
  • Wendy Taylor, 57, was confirmed dead after being swept away by a swollen river in Glen Esk in Scotland on Thursday
  • John Gillan, 56, died when a tree fell on his van near Forfar in Angus on Thursday
  • The body of a man was recovered following reports of someone trapped in a vehicle in Aberdeenshire on Friday, although formal identification is yet to take place
  • Two women were killed in a five-vehicle crash on the M4 on Friday morning that is believed to have been weather-related

OceanNewsUK Weather's Simon King said the "exceptional rain" brought by Storm Babet continued to cause problems, including flooding and high river levels.

Watch: Dog walker films winds lift forest floor in Scotland

"With the week ahead remaining rather unsettled, there'll be further rain at times," he said, adding the risk of flooding remained high in parts of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.

Experts say climate change makes extreme flooding events more likely because a warming atmosphere increases the chance of intense rainfall.

However, many factors contribute to flooding and it takes time for scientists to calculate how much impact climate change has had on particular weather events - if any.

The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.

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