Storm Bert live updates: Body found after man swept away by river as close to month’s rain falls in 48 hours
Close to 400 areas at risk of flooding as Storm Bert brings torrential rains and winds to UK
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Your support makes all the difference.A body has been found in the search for a 75-year-old man missing in the River Conwy, as the heavy rainfall and thawed snow brought by Storm Bert places nearly 400 areas in the UK at risk of flooding.
Storm Bert brought nearly a month’s worth of rain in less than 48 hours, with winds of up to 82mph recorded, causing chaos for those travellling by road and rail. As temperatures rise, melting snow and heavy rain are causing flooding – with the Met Office issuing six weather alerts on Sunday.
Homes and cars were submerged in Wales as rising waters were reported in towns across the country, including Pontypridd, Ebbw Vale and Aberdare.
A body was found in the search for Brian Perry, who went missing in the River Conwy near the market town of Llanwrst on Saturday, North Wales Police said. A man in his 60s died after a tree fell on his car in Hampshire, while 10 people were rescued from a home hit by a landslide in north Wales, rescue services said.
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Pictured: Snow blankets Scottish city of Stirling
Where are flood warnings in force in Wales?
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has issued a series of flood warnings and alerts across the country, as bridges are shut and roads closed. Over the weekend, Wales is expected to face up to 75mm of rain widely, with 150 mm possible in some areas.
NRW has issued flood warnings – where flooding is expected, and immediate action is required – on five stretches of river. It has also issued alerts – where flooding is possible – for more than 30 areas across Wales.
Warnings are in place around:
- River Loughor at Ammanford and Llandybie impacting low-lying property in Ammanford, Llandybie and Aberlash, including Carmarthenshire College
- River Severn, affecting the village of Aberbechan
- River Severn, affecting parts of the village of Abermule
- River Cothi in low lying areas between Pontargothi and Pontynyswen, including the Cothi Bridge Hotel
- River Towy, affecting isolated properties, as well as farms and roads, between Llandeilo and Abbergwili
Gusts of 82mph recorded in north Wales
The strongest gust recorded by the Met Office on Saturday afternoon was 82mph at Capel Curig in Conwy, north Wales, with winds of 70mph expected around coastal areas.
The Needles on the Isle of Wight saw gusts of 76mph, while winds reached 69mph at Devon’s Berry Head.
Holidaymakers at ‘decimated’ Newcastle Airport express surprise at intensity of snowfall
Holidaymakers at Newcastle International Airport said the runway was “decimated” by snow as Storm Bert batters the country with strong winds, heavy rain and snow and ice.
Frequent travellers Tim Harding, 53, and his wife, Chona, 58, were due to fly at 9.15am with Dutch airline KLM to Amsterdam from Newcastle before flying with Delta airlines to Orlando, Florida, to meet their family in the US for Thanksgiving.
Mr Harding said: “Going to the airport... it was sleeting all the way through then all of a sudden it started coming down.
“There were about four or five snow ploughs on the runway and they just couldn’t clear it. It was windy and it was literally coming down really quick, so hard. In the space of two hours, it went from nothing to decimated.
“The gritters were out continuously, the ploughs were out continuously, but it just wasn’t having an impact unfortunately. I was surprised how quickly it came down and how much came down in a two-hour period. I haven’t seen that for a long time.”
Met Office predicts heavy rain will develop overnight and into Sunday
The Met Office forecasts heavy rain developing overnight and into Sunday for south-west and southern England, stretching from Oxford to Truro.
There is a chance that some places over Dartmoor could see 100-150mm of rainfall, the national weather service said.
A yellow warning is in place from 6am on Saturday until 11.45pm on Sunday and up to 70mm of rain could fall during this time.
Homeowners facing flooding as Storm Bert batters Wales
Homeowners are facing flooding as Storm Bert continues to batter Wales, bringing rain, winds and rising waters.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has issued a series of flood warnings and alerts across the country, as bridges are shut and roads closed.
Five adults and five children had to be rescued from a house in Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, near Llangollen in north Wales, following a landslide.
George Thompson reports:
Homeowners facing flooding as Storm Bert batters Wales
Five Flood warnings and more than 30 alerts have been issued across Welsh rivers by Natural Resources Wales.
Five children among 10 rescued from Wales home after landslide
Five children are among the 10 people who have been rescued from a home in north Wales following a landslide.
The five adults and five children were rescued from the house in Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, near Llangollen.
A North Wales Fire and Rescue Services spokesman said they are all being assessed by ambulance services away from the scene “somewhere warm”.
A further landslide has been reported in the area but it is understood no-one else was affected.
Watch: Newcastle airport runway 'decimated' by snow as Storm Bert hits
More than 30,000 homes suffer power cuts
Tens of thousands of homes have been without power on Saturday as Storm Bert batters the UK.
Some 4,000 homes have been affected in the Midlands, south-west England and South Wales, while a further 27,000 customers were affected in the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire.
Dozens more flood alerts issued
As of 3pm on Saturday, there were 26 flood warnings – meaning flooding is expected – in force in England, along with 83 lesser flood alerts in areas where flooding is possible.
There were six flood alerts covering swathes of southern and eastern Scotland, and one warning in Orkney, while Wales was subject to 41 alerts and five warnings.
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