karlpejera: Torrential rain wreaks havoc across Britain

Sabado, Hulyo 7, 2012

Torrential rain wreaks havoc across Britain

Homes flooded, road chaos and sports events at risk as 200 flood warnings are issued

More than 200 flood warnings and alerts were issued by the Environment Agency on Saturday as torrential rain swept the country, causing havoc in many areas.

In East Tynedale, Northumberland, a man in his early 20s was killed after his car plunged off the A68 between Broomley Grange and Healy in heavy rain.

In the south-west the agency issued its strongest alert for parts of the river Yealm in Dorset. The severe flood warning, which indicates rising waters pose "a danger to life", focused on the Yealm between Cornwood and Yealmpton, including Cornwood, Lee Mill and Yealmbridge, where the A379 meets the B3186.

The rain led to flooded homes, road closures and havoc on public transport across parts of the country as the latest downpours continued to fall on ground already saturated after three months of record-breaking rainfall across the UK. The RSPCA urged farmers to move livestock from low-lying fields and ensure that animals had access to food and shelter, and told pet owners to keep their animals safe at all times.

Thousands of motor-racing fans heading to the F1 British Grand Prix were warned not to attend the Silverstone race track in Northamptonshire for race qualifying on Saturday after the deluge left car parks unusable and caused major traffic jams near the circuit. Officials said they hoped they would be able to have the car parks ready for useon Sunday.

Craig Woolhouse, the Environment Agency's head of flood incident management, urged people to remain on alert for flooding, especially in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. "It has been raining heavily and the situation could escalate quite quickly. We would also ask people to remember to stay away from flood water, and do not walk or drive through it, as it is often fast-moving and can contain sewage and other debris."

Many parts of the country received more than half the average rainfall for July in one day, and the Met Office warned that heavy rain was expected to move east overnight, reaching Sussex and Kent on Sunday.

In Yealmpton, Devon, the Yealm burst its banks, flooding more than 40 homes, including some that had 5ft or 6ft of water inside, police said. Tony Stearn, whose house backs on to the river, said he was telephoned by a neighbour warning him of danger. "He said you better have a look out your window. Our garden was completely under water."

A spokesman for the Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said they been called to incidents ? mainly flooding of houses and cars stuck in flood water ? in more than a dozen places, including Bridport, Maiden Newton and Bradpole.

Monday's horse racing meeting at Newton Abbot has been cancelled due to a waterlogged track, while Dorset police have warned people to stay away from the base of cliffs in Lyme Regis, as mud slides are making them unstable.

Several residents in the Leicestershire village of Sheepy Magna were evacuated from their homes. According to a Red Cross official, a total of 13 houses were involved in the rescue.

In Scotland, 13 flood warnings were issued in Edinburgh, the Lothians and in the Borders. The A720 Edinburgh city bypass was closed between Hermiston Gait and Straiton and the Taste of Edinburgh Festival was cancelled after its site at The Meadows was flooded.

Robin McKie