Flooding in the United Kingdom: A major incident has been declared in the Midlands, with motorways closed as a result of heavy rain in southern England.

 

Flooding in southern England has closed roads and prompted the declaration of a major incident as heavy rain in the region continues.

Nottinghamshire County Council has declared a major incident “due to rising levels along the River Trent,” with forecasts predicting that river peaks could “come close to the highest levels on record since 2000.” Officials advised residents in flood-prone areas

“Key tributaries that feed into the Trent, including the Derwent, Soar, and Dove, have already reached their peaks, and high water levels will now pass down the Trent, likely causing flooding to properties and roads,” the council said in a statement. Residents in flood-prone areas are being asked to make sure they are prepared in case they are ordered to evacuate. Councils, emergency services, and the Environment Agency have been providing emergency assistance to affected communities and will continue to do so throughout the county.”

A party boat on London’s River Thames was also sunk, with the boat operator claiming that it “likely sank due to weather conditions.” At the time, the boat, which functions as a floating bar and nightclub, was not in operation.

Heavy rain has fallen in the days following Storm Henk’s landfall, causing already saturated land to be drenched and prone to flooding. Some people’s travel plans have also been thrown off by the weather.

As a result, motorways across the country have been closed, including the M27 in Hampshire overnight. Travel by train was also disrupted.

Due to the possibility of flooding, Great Western Railway (GWR) advised commuters not to travel by rail on Thursday afternoon. Network Rail has identified “key sites in Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall as being at risk of flooding,” according to the rail operator.

GWR also stated that the “most at risk” areas included Swindon to Bristol Temple Meads via Chippenham and Bath Spa, Newton Abbot and Plymouth, Exeter and Tiverton Parkway, Bristol Temple Meads and Weston-super-Mare, and Taunton and Westbury.

South Western Railway (SWR) has also stated that “extreme rainfall” will have an impact on its services beginning Thursday afternoon. SWR warned: “Later in the evening, there will likely be a significant knock-on impact on any services which serve these areas, meaning further disruption for the rest of the day” .

Rain warnings remain in effect today, with the Met Office extending the warning until 3 a.m. on Friday, January 5. Rainfall is expected to move north-east across the country’s southern half.