Parts of the UK are bracing for continued weather-related disruptions as more rain and wind affect the region, with hundreds already dealing with the aftermath of flooding in their homes and businesses.
Severe weather warnings from the Met Office remain active, with concerns escalating over potential further flooding in the south-west of England and parts of Wales.
Somerset has declared a major incident as towns like Somerton, Chard, South Petherton, and Ilminster experienced significant flooding, prompting the evacuation of around 100 residents, some by boat.
In Cornwall, the small hamlet of Trenarren near St Austell was isolated after a fallen tree, brought down by strong winds, blocked the only access road. Emergency supplies were handed to residents over the debris.
A yellow severe weather warning covering the south-west and parts of southern England was set to expire at 10am on Tuesday. The Met Office predicted a mix of showers and sunshine for the day, accompanied by gales, hail, and thunder in certain areas.
An additional yellow warning was expected to remain for south Wales and parts of mid-Wales until 9pm on Tuesday, with potential flooding that could disrupt roads and affect public transport.
As of Tuesday morning, England had 31 active flood warnings, indicating expected flooding in areas including around Bristol’s River Avon, Axminster’s Axe, and the River Severn at Tewkesbury. Furthermore, 168 flood alerts were in place, signaling possible flooding.
Wales reported nine flood alerts, with concerns particularly for the River Wye in Monmouthshire and Powys, and the west coast of Anglesey.
The Environment Agency highlighted flash flooding in Somerset, exacerbated by already saturated ground. They aimed to manage the high water levels and prevent overflow into the low-lying Somerset moors.
Ben Lukey, a flood duty manager for the Environment Agency, warned that the disruptive impacts could extend into Wednesday and Thursday.
He advised the public to avoid swollen rivers and not to drive through floodwaters, as a mere 30cm of flowing water could displace a car.
National Highways reported a lane closure on the A303 westbound near Yeovil due to flooding on Tuesday morning.
The adverse conditions are attributed to Storm Herminia, a low-pressure system named by Spanish meteorologists, which brought gusts of up to 84mph and nearly 60mm of rain to parts of southern England on Monday.
Marco Petagna, a Met Office meteorologist, predicted an improvement in weather conditions for Wednesday and Thursday, noting a gradual easing of the storm‘s effects.
In Northern Ireland and Scotland, efforts continued to restore power after outages caused by Storm Éowyn over the weekend.
Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney, cited the events as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges posed by climate change.
