South Wales Fire and Rescue declared a major incident in Monmouth in the early hours of Saturday as Storm Claudia's aftermath brought severe and widespread flooding to Wales. Natural Resources Wales issued four severe flood warnings indicating "significant risk to life and significant disruption to the community is expected".
The Environment Agency placed 92 flood warnings across England, primarily in the Midlands, with the total number of warnings across England and Wales reaching 102 by Saturday morning. Emergency crews worked through the night conducting welfare checks, evacuations and rescues in challenging conditions created by fast-moving water, blocked roads and pressure on infrastructure.
One month's rain in a day
Storm Claudia lashed the UK with extraordinary rainfall on Friday. One rain gauge in Wales recorded more than 60 percent of the month's average rainfall, while Little Rissington in Gloucestershire saw over 72 millimetres. The deluge in Gloucestershire exceeded the standard November rainfall for Gloucester, around 30 miles away.
Matt Jones, area manager at South Wales Fire and Rescue, said: "This is a large-scale incident, and our crews and partners have been working tirelessly through the night and into today to help those affected." He urged the public to avoid the Monmouth area completely, adding: "The flooding is significant, and we need to keep routes clear to allow emergency services to reach the people who need us most."
Cold snap ahead
More rain is forecast for Saturday, particularly in East Yorkshire and North Yorkshire, before conditions shift dramatically. From Sunday, Arctic air will bring a cold snap with potential snow and sleet to north-facing coasts and hills. Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick said: "I think people are really going to notice a chill into Sunday and feeling cold in many areas."
The UK Health Security Agency issued a cold weather warning for parts of the Midlands and northern England, active from 8am on Monday November 17 until 8am on Friday November 21. National Rail advised travelers to check services before travel, with disruption expected to continue through Saturday.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
