UK floods latest: Dad rescued son from sinking car as ‘devastating’ floods cause train and traffic chaos
More than 150 flood warnings remain in place for England and Wales and travel issues are set to continue
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Your support makes all the difference.A father was forced to carry his 11-month-old son to safety after their car became rapidly submerged in floodwater while travelling through West Yorkshire.
Andre Randles, 22, pulled his baby through the window and carried him over his head through the chest-high water.
Storm Bert is continuing to cause travel disruptions today due to several rail lines being shut following “devastating” flooding over the weekend.
At least five deaths have been reported in England and Wales since Storm Bert hit as the heavy rainfall and thawed snow put more than 400 areas in the UK at risk of flooding.
A body was found on Sunday in the search for a 75-year-old man missing in the River Conwy, another man in his 60s died after a tree fell on his car on the A34 near Winchester, Hampshire. Three others have died in fatal motor-related incidents.
Welsh first minister Eluned Morgan said it had been a “really difficult weekend” and that the flooding was “absolutely devastating” ahead of Christmas.
The second named storm of the season brought nearly a month’s worth of rainfall in less than 48 hours, with winds of up to 82mph recorded, causing chaos for those travelling by road and rail.
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Gusts could exceed 70mph, Met Office says
Gusts in exposed coasts could exceed 70mph today, the Met Office has said.
Met Office chief meteorologist Andy Page said: “The strong southerly winds continue today and warnings are in place for central, southern and eastern England, Northern Ireland and western Scotland where gusts could peak at 60 mph and could even reach more than 70 mph along some exposed coasts.
Rainfall to ease through the day, Met Office says
The rainfall affecting much of the UK today will ease through the day, the Met Office has said.
Met Office chief meteorologist Andy Page said: “Impacts from Storm Bert will continue to cause disruption as we go through today, and multiple warnings are in place for wind and rain.”
“While the risk of any snowfall has now diminished, rainfall will affect much of the UK today, in particular some southwestern parts of England and South Wales, but the heaviest rain will ease from these areas through the day.
Body found in search for 75-year-old man missing in river, police say
A body has been found in the search for 75-year-old Brian Perry after he went missing in the River Conwy on Saturday, North Wales Police said.
Firefighters pump water out of Pontypridd street
Firefighters have begun to pump water out of Sion Street in Pontypridd where several homes have been flooded.
This is the second time in four years the street – which runs alongside the River Taff – has experienced major flooding.
Members of the public have been arriving to pass out food and drinks to the emergency workers and people bailing water from their homes.
Storm Bert continues to cause havoc on railways
Busy rail routes have also been affected by the blustery weather.
Multiple fallen trees have damaged overhead electrical wires on the railway line between Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport, causing major disruption until further notice, Greater Anglia said.
Great Western Railway services between Plymouth and Penzance, Reading and Basingstoke and Exeter and Barnstaple have had lines blocked by fallen trees leading to cancellations and delays.
Southwestern Railway services into London Waterloo have been disrupted by a tree blocking the railway between Fleet and Farnborough in Hampshire.
With nearly 400 areas at risk of flooding, severe flooding blocked railway lines between Birmingham New Street and Shrewsbury on Sunday morning, but all lines have now reopened. Trains on the route could still be disrupted until well into the afternoon, National Rail said.
Heathrow and Gatwick: flight cancellation chaos intensifies
Many more flights have been cancelled at Heathrow as Storm Bert disrupts flight schedules.
British Airways has now grounded well over 100 short-haul flights to and from the UK’s busiest airport. Links to Athens and Gibraltar are among the most recent cancellations.
Other airlines have also grounded flights, including SAS to and from Stockholm, TAP Portugal serving Lisbon and two round-trips from Amsterdam on KLM.
Several diversions have added to the disruptions. Emirates’ flagship service, EK1, diverted to Birmingham after attempting to land at Heathrow. An Austrian Airlines flight from Vienna went to Brussels. And two Heathrow-bound flights – Egyptair from Cairo and Saudia from Jeddah – diverted to Gatwick.
The Sussex airport has itself seen four diversions, too. Ryanair from Dublin and easyJet from Nantes both went to Birmingham instead. Wizz Air from Rome landed at Stansted. The longest diversion was on Vueling: a flight from Barcelona to Gatwick flew to Manchester. It later returned to its intended destination.
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