Saturday, February 15, 2014

High winds batter southern England

UK floods: High winds and waves for southern England

Huge waves were filmed on Friday afternoon crashing into Newlyn, Cornwall

High winds and huge waves are battering the south coast of England as widespread flooding continues.

"Severe" flood warnings have been issued for many stretches of the coast from Cornwall to Hampshire.

The Met Office has warned of 80mph gusts of wind across south and south-east England, and all train services west of Plymouth have been cancelled.

Flood waters had "stabilised" in many areas, but heavy rain earlier has led to warnings of further flooding.

Thousands of sandbags have been piled up to protect homes and businesses in counties including Gloucester, Somerset, Berkshire and Surrey.

Princes William and Harry joined the effort to pile sandbags in Datchet, Berkshire.

Princes William and Harry were filmed shifting sandbags in Datchet, Berkshire

The Environment Agency said earlier that 30,000 sandbags had been available to properties near the Thames in Berkshire and Surrey.

It has issued 24 severe flood warnings covering parts of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey.

The agency confirmed that sirens had sounded on Portland, where there is a severe flood warning for Chiswell.

Shipping containers protecting the damaged seafront railway at Dawlish in Devon have been breached, leaving properties at risk of flooding.

Separately, an 85-year-old passenger died after a freak wave hit the British cruise ship Marco Polo in the English Channel. The man, along with a woman in her 70s, had been airlifted off the vessel. A number of other passengers received minor injuries and were treated on board

The Coastguard said the emergency services and the Army rescued 32 people trapped in a beachfront restaurant at Milford-on-Sea in Hampshire. It was earlier reported that rocks were swept off the beach, smashing windows and causing flooding.

Police and mountain rescue team volunteers have been searching for two hill walkers missing on Ben Nevis. They are believed to have become disorientated in poor weather near the summit. The search will resume at first light.

There was widespread rain and some snow earlier, but BBC Weather's Nick Miller said the focus was now "increasingly on wind", with "damaging" gusts which could bring down trees, especially in southern England.

He said conditions would gradually improve on Saturday although there would be some heavy showers, with snow on higher ground in Scotland and northern England.

Sunday would be "much better", with widespread dry weather, he said.

Weather systems expected in the following week will be less severe and there should be longer dry spells between them, he said.

Live flood warnings from the Environment Agency

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This map and flood alert data are supplied to the BBC by third parties. The BBC is not responsible for its accuracy and you use it at your own risk
View the flood map

The Energy Networks Association said earlier that more than 16,000 properties in Wales were without power following Wednesday's winds of up to 112mph.

But it said "further strong winds" had meant that number had risen to more than 41,000 "across Wales and southern England".

More than half a million homes have been reconnected since Wednesday, it added.

A man climbs over a high pile of sandbags to get into the front door of a house Sandbags are being used to defend homes in Gloucester, where a severe flood warning is in place
David Cameron speaks to farmer Tim Hook as they walk along a road next to flooded land David Cameron spoke to farmer Tim Hook and he visited flooded land near Bampton, Oxfordshire

In south-west England, First Great Western said weather conditions made it too dangerous to run any trains in Cornwall.

It said coach companies had refused to run rail replacement services in the county due to the "unsafe" conditions.

There is widespread disruption on UK railways, and Network Rail is advising customers to check before travelling.

A landslip has blocked the line between London and Redhill near Merstham Tunnel, causing delays for thousands of passengers.

South West Trains is advising against all but essential travel on Friday night, as several lines have been blocked by fallen trees.

Some roads are closed because of flooding. See BBC Travel News for more.

The Highways Agency said the QE2 Bridge and the Sheppey Crossing would remain closed until high winds eased, which is expected to be about mid-afternoon on Saturday.

In other developments:

  • About 2,200 armed forces personnel - regulars and reserves - are helping the flood relief effort and a further 3,000 are on standby to respond within two hours, according to Maj Gen Patrick Sanders, assistant chief of defence staff
  • Flood defences in Gloucester are succeeding in holding back the water, according to the Environment Agency
  • Council staff in Hampshire have been moved from their "normal day jobs" to help the flood relief effort
  • Buckingham Palace has said the Queen is supporting farmers affected by the flooding on the Somerset Levels by contributing feed and bedding from the royal farms at Windsor
  • The prime minister said UK businesses were offering "free help" to those affected by the flooding
  • Major supermarkets are providing supplies such as waders, food parcels, batteries and torches
  • Police have appealed to drivers across Northern Ireland to take extra care as rain and snow disrupt travel
  • The AA has urged drivers to try to travel only during daylight

Steve Cock, Lugger Hotel, Penzance: "Waves were crashing over the hotel"

The Environment Agency said flood levels on the Thames had stabilised after a fairly dry day on Thursday, but Friday's rainfall would cause levels to rise again and stay high for several days.

Programme director Peter Willison said: "This remains a very live event. I expect we will see further property flooding."

Alex Tribick from the Spelthorne Business Forum in Surrey said the local currency had "changed from the pound to the sandbag".

Earlier, Prime Minister David Cameron said the government would "fight at every front to help people" hit by floods.

He said money would be no object in a "massive national effort", saying: "I want people to know that the government absolutely stands behind this relief effort."

As well as an amber warning for wind in southern England, the Met Office has issued yellow warnings for rain, wind and snow for much of the UK in the coming hours.

A man carries a sandbag on his shoulder through a flooded garden In Wraysbury, Berkshire, sandbags are being piled up to protect homes from flood water
Firefighters and soldiers pile sandbags at the door of a home which is surrounded by flood water Soldiers and firefighters are among those helping protect properties in Moorland, Somerset

Some parts of the Somerset Levels have been flooded for several weeks, while areas near the Thames in Berkshire and Surrey have seen major flooding in recent days.

As well as the 24 severe flood warnings, the Environment Agency has issued more than 400 less serious flood warnings and alerts, mostly in southern England and the Midlands.

Are you in the affected areas? Have you been affected by the flooding? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with the subject heading UK weather.

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