Properties flood as major incidents declared in the West Midlands with 'danger to life'

A number of properties in the West Midlands have flooded, with police declaring major incidents in Shropshire and Worcestershire as water levels along the River Severn rise.

There are severe flood warnings in place in the village of Ironbridge and the town of Bewdley, with the Environment Agency saying there is a “danger to life” as temporary flood defences face being topped.

And flood-hit communities are calling for a “permanent solution” to increasingly frequent flooding amid heavy rain.

York has also been hit today, with cars submerged up to their windscreens and several properties affected after the River Ouse overtopped its banks.

In Ironbridge, flooding has hit areas without permanent defences and around 60 properties have been evacuated – but some residents have decided to stay in their homes.

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‘Tense’ situation

UK weather: ‘Danger to life’ in Shropshire and Worcester as River Severn could overwhelm flood defences

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The situation is “tense”, according to Telford and Wrekin councillor Shaun Davies, who added: “Some properties have no protection from flood defences and are still underwater.

“And we have evacuated properties behind defences that could be breached while supporting those who have decided to stay put.

“We are doing all we can to support residents and are preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.”

Mr Davies also said that the government announced in 2020 that flooding was a “once-in-a-century event”.

“But it’s just two years later and we need to be preparing for this kind of event as a normal event going forward,” he said, before advocating for a permanent defence solution.

Wharfage closed at Ironbridge – The river has now reached 6.2 m and it’s no longer safe to go behind the flood barriers. The Wharfage is now closed to vehicles and pedestrians. Please stay away from the area and stay safe everyone. More here > https://t.co/ZqfOz1kEqr pic.twitter.com/exXRhp5psi

Today I visited @EnvAgency teams in Ironbridge dealing with impacts of Storm Dudley, Eunice and Franklin.

Water levels are high on the Severn. My thoughts are with those affected and with colleagues working round the clock over the last several days to protect communities. pic.twitter.com/MCjOB30tbi

Flood warnings across England

Scores of flood warnings have been issued across England particularly along the River Severn, the Rivern Ouse, the River Trent and the River Wye.

Met Office forecaster Mark Wilson said while there will not be a “huge amount” of rain today, further rainfall in flood-affected areas could “cause recovery to slow down massively”.

It comes after three storms battered the UK over the past week – as Dudley, Eunice, and Franklin left 1.4 million households without electricity, some for up to 72 hours, with around 12,000 still without power.

Storm Franklin’s highest gust of 87mph was recorded at The Needles on the Isle of Wight on Sunday evening, followed by gusts of 79mph on a mountaintop in Wales early on Monday.

Storm Eunice brought winds of up to 122mph to the UK and Ireland.

The Met Office said in some regions as much as five to six inches of rain had fallen in a “short period of time”.

Meanwhile, Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said extreme weather, like these storms, could become a feature of the country’s climate.

Speaking in the Commons on Monday, he said “four people have tragically lost their lives in incidents related to storms”.

Police have named Stephen Matthews, 68, a father of two from Aintree, as the passenger who died after debris struck the windscreen of a vehicle he was travelling in during high winds in Netherton, Merseyside, on Friday.

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