UK Weather: Storm Bella batters Britain
Bella lashes Britain: Floods ravage Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire as gale-force winds hit 100mph – toppling trees and leaving thousands without electricity – with damage sparking travel misery
- Met Office said a gust of wind had been recorded at 83mph in the coastal village of Aberdaron in North Wales
- In Cornwall, more than 100 homes were without electricity on Saturday night in the Plymouth and Truro area
- Yellow warnings for rain are in place across much of the UK, as well as two ‘threat to life’ flood notices
Storm Bella battered Britain overnight leaving hundreds of people without power as parts of the country were left underwater while others faced travel misery due to electrical problems.
Very strong winds and heavy rain whipped the UK coastline, particularly in parts of Wales and southern England, where severe gales caused damage to buildings around coastal and hilly areas.
The Met Office confirmed gusts of up to 106mph were recorded in the Isle of Wight while gusts of 83mph were recorded in the coastal village of Aberdaron in North Wales on Saturday night.
Yellow warnings for rain are in place across much of the UK, with two ‘threat to life’ flood notices and a further 98 warnings and 171 alerts in patches across the England.
The most serious cases were in place at Cogenhoe Mill caravan site near Northampton and at the nearby Billing Aquadrome on the River Nene and parts of Cambridgeshire.
The Cambridgeshire fire and rescue service confirmed they had received 336 flood-related calls, with Alconbury and Ramsey being the hardest-hit areas.
Five-foot-high flood waters were recorded in some places as the parks were forced to evacuate over Christmas. Levels had begun to drop but the government as now warned that a new peak was expected after more severe weather today.
An Amber warning for wind also stretches from Aberystwyth to Margate – meaning disruption to transport is likely in the south.
In Cornwall, more than 100 homes were without electricity on Saturday night in the Plymouth and Truro area. Around 50 houses also experienced black outs in Bristol and Bath due to the severe weather.
Newquay Police Response team said that Storm Bella was ‘throwing trees over the roads’, with the latest victim at Kestle Mill, where they were awaiting the arrival of a chainsaw crew to clear the way
Meanwhile, Scotland, Northern Ireland, north Wales and parts of northern England are also subject to a yellow warning for snow and ice from today into Monday, with a band of rain, sleet and up to two inches of snow set to fall.
Storm Bella has battered the UK, leaving hundreds of people without power as winds hit 83mph and dozens of new flood warnings were put in place. Pictured: The Dover coast is battered by waves driven by 80mph winds all along the south coast
Aerial view of the flooding around Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, this morning after Storm Bella brought more rain overnight
River levels on a tributary to the Thames at Iffley Meadows near Oxford remain high with an Environment Agency flood warning still in place after heavy overnight rain. Storm Bella is affecting parts of the UK with heavy rain and high winds
Pictured: A tree came crashing down on this Bentley in Hove yesterday as high winds caused havoc across the country
Dozens of fallen trees reported by motorists, blocking off roads. Pictured: A tree in Dover took a road sign down with it
Aerial view of the town of Bedford, before and after 1,300 homes along the River Ouse were ordered to evacuate following severe flooding on Christmas Day
A canal boat is helped by a water search and rescue team after getting into difficulties in Bedford, where the River Great Ouse has burst its banks
Storm Bella has battered the UK, leaving hundreds of people without power as winds hit 83mph and dozens of new flood warnings were put in place. Pictured: Flooding on Rathlin Island in Northern Ireland
Yellow warnings for rain are in place across much of the UK, as well as two ‘threat to life’ flood notices. An Amber warning for wind is also in place – meaning disruption to transport is likely in the south
Motorway road signs advising high winds, and extreme weather just outside Edinburgh in Scotland tonight
Flooding in St Ives in Cambridgeshire on Boxing Day after the River Great Ouse burst its banks. It comes as Storm Bella has battered Britain overnight
Newquay Police Response team said that Storm Bella was ‘throwing trees over the roads’, with the latest victim at Kestle Mill, where they were awaiting the arrival of a chainsaw crew to clear the way
In Wales, 110 homes lost power in Cardiff and more than 50 were left without electricity in the Swansea area. Near Telford 150 experienced a black out as well as 116 homes near Nottingham.
The Met Office’s amber weather warning for parts of Wales and southern England says travel could be disrupted from Saturday night through to Sunday morning.
It also warned that flying debris could cause injury or be a risk to life, and buildings could be damaged in the storm.
On Sunday 25mm of rain is due to fall in parts of south-west England and Wales – and 60mm on high ground.
It comes after people were forced to flee their homes on Christmas Day morning due to flooding after heavy rain over the weekend.
Residents in 1,300 homes by the River Great Ouse in Bedfordshire were advised to move out following high water levels on Christmas Day, with pictures showing the river bursting its banks onto playing fields.
Bedford International Athletic Stadium was used as an emergency assistance centre for those who left their homes. Local fire chief Paul Fuller said families faced a ‘dreadful situation’ made worse by Covid restrictions.
Further rain is expected in Bedfordshire on Sunday and Monday.
This morning, Chepstow’s Coral Welsh Grand National meeting was abandoned due to a waterlogged track after 27mm of rain fell overnight.
The fixture has had no luck down the years on the weather front and once more course officials were forced to admit defeat.
In Cirencester, Gloucestershire, homes were also at risk of flooding due to heavy rain and council officials have been providing sandbags for those affected.
The Met Office’s amber weather warning for parts of Wales and southern England says travel could be disrupted from Saturday night through to Sunday morning
People standing on a bridge look at a flooded area in Great Barford, near Bedford. Many in the area had to leave their homes on Christmas Day
People walk on the Great South wall in Dublin as the wind picks up as Storm Bella approaches. Sunday will bring disruption to much of the UK
People watch as Storm Bella hits Porthcawl at high tide in Porthcawl, on Boxing Day evening as rain and strong winds effect parts of the UK
A severe flood warning was issued for areas along the River Great Ouse by the Environment Agency on Christmas Day
Cars drive through a flooded street in Great Barford, near Bedford, Britain. Bedford International Athletic Stadium was used as an emergency assistance centre for those who left their homes
Waves crash over the lighthouse at Porthcawl, South Wales as Storm Bella hits the UK. There are dozens of flood warnings in place for Sunday
Windsurfers take to the water at Barassie Beach in Troon, on the west coast of Scotland on Boxing Day ahead of Storm Bella hitting
The extreme weather events have left emergency services inundated with calls for help, with South Wales Fire and Rescue Service receiving 500 calls for help in just 24 hours.
Flood defences had been put up in St Neots, Cambridgeshire ahead of the overnight storm, and extra pumps deployed to the Welches Dam and Soham Lodge areas.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick urged people to check Government advice, such as from the Environment Agency, who have asked people to keep away from “swollen rivers and flooded land”.
A statement on their website said: ‘It is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.’
In Ireland, Met Eireann issued a country-wide status yellow wind and rain warning, in force until 4am today.
As well as the stormy conditions, temperatures will stay frosty in some parts into next week, leading health professionals to offer advice on how to keep safe in colder weather.
Dr Ishani Kar-Purkayastha, consultant in public health at Public Health England said: ‘Heat your home to at least 18C if you can, particularly if you have reduced mobility, are 65 and over, or have a health condition such as heart or lung disease.’
Ferry operator DFDS said its services from Newhaven, East Sussex, to Dieppe, France, had been cancelled on Saturday evening and for all day on Sunday, because of the unsettled weather in the channel.
Storm Bella follows relatively calm and cold conditions across the UK on Friday, which saw a white Christmas for some more northerly parts of the country.
