More rain on way as floods wreak havoc in Britain
Print Edition
Hurricane-force winds from an Atlantic storm left tens of thousands of Britons without power yesterday and one man dead, adding to the misery after devastating floods caused by the wettest winter in 250 years.
About 80,000 households remain without electricity, with Wales the worst affected by the “Wild Wednesday” storms, although the figure was reduced from about 150,000 overnight as electricity workers battled to reconnect people.
The latest problems pile pressure on Prime Minister David Cameron’s government, which has faced criticism for being slow to help people hit by the floods.
“We have seen some pretty horrendous conditions,” said Tim Field of the Energy Networks Association, which represents energy companies, adding that they were trying to get people back on line as fast as possible.
Major General Patrick Sanders, who is co-ordinating the armed forces response called the conditions an “almost unparalleled natural crisis.”
Gusts approaching 160 kilometers per hour tore at parts of England and Wales overnight, and the River Thames was predicted to rise to its highest level in more than 60 years in places.
One man died after being electrocuted while attempting to move a fallen tree that had brought down power lines in Wiltshire, southwest England, the first to be killed in the latest round of storms.
The weather conditions brought chaos for commuters, stranding a train carrying hundreds of passengers after overhead lines came down in Yorkshire, northern England.
The Met Office national weather service issued a red warning — the highest threat level — for “exceptionally strong winds” in western parts of Wales and northwest England. A total of 14 severe flood warnings — indicating a danger to life — were in place in Berkshire and Surrey to the west of London, while two remain in Somerset.
Forecasters said 70mm of rain would fall by today in southwest England.
Emergency efforts were picking up following criticism of a sluggish response, and the military said 1,600 soldiers had been deployed with 2,000 in total available.
More than 5,800 homes have flooded since early December, officials said.
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