Second Highest Alert Issued as Storm Babet Triggers Extensive Flooding and Fatalities
Approximately 50 individuals sought refuge in the local leisure centre, where they spent the night on crash mats, as reported by the staff.
Storm Babet persists, unleashing relentless downpours across the UK this Saturday. Tragically, three lives have been claimed, and a red alert, signifying a “danger to life,” remains in effect.
The unusual red weather warning encompasses eastern Scotland for the entire day. First Minister Humza Yousaf cautions, “We should brace for more.”
Simultaneously, yellow weather warnings for both wind and rain blanket a substantial portion of England.
A heightened amber warning for rain extends over regions of north-east England, encompassing Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, and Nottingham.
Throughout England, there were more than 353 flood warnings and 248 alerts issued on Saturday morning. Additionally, 55,000 individuals were left without power on Friday due to the impact of the storm.
By evening, approximately 45,000 of those affected had been reconnected to the power grid, according to the Energy Networks Association.
The Met Office reported on X that the highest recorded rainfall on Friday was 84mm in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
Met forecaster Jonathan Vautrey informed the PA news agency, “The focus of the rainfall on Saturday shifts back northwards towards eastern and northern Scotland. Some areas in these regions have already received approximately a month and a half’s worth of rain. However, there is another band of rain predicted to move northward over the night, affecting similar areas. Consequently, there are ongoing red and amber rain warnings in effect for Saturday, with the potential for these regions to experience nearly two months’ worth of rainfall in just three days.”
Friday brought a widely unsettled end to the working week, with heavy rain falling across many areas
These are the extremes for 20 October ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/1QMBKzsygh
— Met Office (@metoffice) October 20, 2023
Mr. Vautrey stated that a yellow wind warning covering eastern Scotland and north-east England could bring about “gales in excess of 60-70 miles per hour”. He went on to mention, “That is expected to subside along the coast throughout Saturday, so in terms of wind, there will be some relief.”
In Shropshire’s town of Cleobury Mortimer, a man in his 60s tragically lost his life after being caught in swiftly moving floodwaters. Additionally, strong winds led to a passenger plane skidding off a runway at Leeds Bradford Airport.
This marks the third fatality since Storm Babet initially struck the UK on Wednesday. Earlier, Police Scotland reported that a falling tree struck a van near Forfar in Angus on Thursday evening, resulting in the unfortunate passing of the 56-year-old driver. Furthermore, a 57-year-old woman lost her life on Thursday after being swept into a river in the region.
Severe flooding led to 70-minute delays on the A1 near Grantham last Friday, according to National Highways. Meanwhile, in the southern region, Suffolk declared a major incident as Storm Babet brought about extensive flooding throughout the county.
Reports from residents indicate that the rural village of Debenham became isolated due to the flooding, with tractors pressed into service for rescuing individuals stranded in the deluge.
Approximately 50 individuals sought refuge in the local leisure centre, where they spent the night on crash mats, as reported by the staff.
In other areas, fire services in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire posted images on X of vehicles partially submerged in water after their occupants were rescued.
This “unprecedented” weather event has already necessitated evacuations in eastern Scotland, isolating rural communities and resulting in the collapse of roads and bridges.
