Storm Babet: Amber alert issued as strong winds and heavy rain expected to hit UK
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A major clean-up is under way after flooding swamped towns and villages during Storm Babet, as the Met Office updated the weather warning for Scotland.
The rare red warning for rain is now from 6pm today until noon Friday as “exceptionally heavy and persistent rain” batters eastern Scotland.
Schools in parts of Scotland will close at lunchtime today after local councils were concerned about “danger to life” weather disruption.
It comes as the army has been deployed in parts of Ireland after Cork County Council said more than a month’s worth of rain fell in the space of 24 hours, leading to unprecedented flooding, saturated land and high river levels across the county.
Dramatic footage shows people wading through water as one local kayaks down a street, while defence forces supported evacuation measures.
Severe weather warnings for rain and wind have been issued for several areas of the UK, covering already-saturated parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, and northern and eastern England.
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1697712994Sewer flooding risk as Storm Babet hits Scotland
Scottish Water warned of the risk of sewer flooding as Storm Babet hits Scotland and said staff are on standby.
The organisation said sewer flooding reports are expected to increase as drainage systems become overwhelmed by the extreme rainfall.
John Griffen, Scottish Water’s water operations general manager said: “We have activated contingency plans including increasing the numbers of staff and contractors on standby to support customers experiencing sewer flooding, and protect our critical infrastructure across water and waste water services.
“Plans are in place for known sewer flooding hotspots with tankers on-site, and we encourage any customer experiencing sewer flooding to report it as soon as possible via our customer engagement centre, open 24/7, on 0800 0778 778. We will attend and will prioritise those experiencing internal sewer flooding.
“We will continue to closely monitor the forecast and deploy resources where it is most needed. The safety of our teams is the highest priority and we ask for customers’ understanding if there are delays in responding to their concerns as travel, particularly in the Red Warning area, may be impacted by advice issued by Police Scotland and transport agencies.”
(PA Media)
Maryam Zakir-Hussain19 October 2023 11:56
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Met Office updates rare red weather warning
The Met Office has updated the red weather warning as “exceptionally heavy and persistent rain” batters eastern Scotland.
The warning is now from 6pm today until noon Friday.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain19 October 2023 11:36
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New amber warning for rain issued for Friday
A new amber warning for rain has been issued for parts of northern England, the Midlands and Wales as Storm Babet batters the UK.
The warning is in place from noon on Friday to 6am on Saturday due to persistent heavy rain.
Homes and businesses are likely to be flooded and some communities could be cut off by flooded roads.
Between 40 and 60mm of rain is likely, with the potential for between 80 and 120mm on higher ground, the Met Office said.
(Met Office )
Maryam Zakir-Hussain19 October 2023 11:18
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Storm Babet map reveals when and where heavy rain will hit UK
On Thursday, the UK will see the full force of Storm Babet, with five yellow weather warnings for rain and wind being in place.
In addition to those already under a yellow rain warning, additional areas affected include central and northern Scotland which will experience “very strong southeasterly winds” according to the Met Office.
Central and eastern Scotland has also been issued a yellow weather warning for rain, which the Met Office say could possibly be a “danger to life”.
Northern Ireland’s yellow weather warning for rain will clear by 10am on Thursday, but rain is expected to continue in the region.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain19 October 2023 10:59
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From Babet to Walid: How and why storms get their names
Strong winds are also set to whip up across large swathes of the country, as the forecaster warns gusts upto 70mph could be seen in eastern parts of Scotland.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain19 October 2023 10:47
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Rail disruption continues
Other issues afflicting rail passengers include “slippery rails” between Renton and Alexandria on ScotRail, Simon Calder reports.
The operator says: “Our services between Airdrie and Balloch will terminate and start back from Dumbarton Central.
In east London, passengers on the key route between London Liverpool Street and Stratford have experienced delays and cancellations due to a signal failure.
Greater Anglia says: “Some disruption is still expected as we recover to our advertised timetable.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain19 October 2023 10:36
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Trains disrupted across Britain
Rail firms across Britain are cancelling and curtailing many trains as a result of the severe weather, Simon Calder reports.
In South Devon, CrossCountry will not run on the stretch of track between Dawlish and Teignmouth that is exposed to the English Channel.
Many trains from the Midlands and North are being curtailed at Bristol or Exeter.
“Severe weather on the route between Exeter St Davids and Paignton/Plymouth means disruption is expected to continue until the end of the day,” the company says.
In southeast England, the GTR organisation warns: “Forecasted severe weather is likely to impact Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink services until the end of the day on Friday 20 October.
“This storm is expected to make contact with a large part of the Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink network, especially the routes in more exposed coastal locations. Gusts could be even stronger in these areas.
“For now, you should travel as you usually would, but allow extra time for your journey. Be sure to check journey planners and station information boards closer in advance, as the weather and its effects can be unpredictable.”
(Supplied)
Simon Calder 19 October 2023 10:32
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Storm Babet sees thunderous waves crash aginst the shores in Whitley Bay
This video posted on Twitter shows thunderous waves crashing in Whitley Bay, an English seaside town in the North Tyneside, as Storm Babet wreaks havoc across the UK.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain19 October 2023 10:09
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In pictures: Floods swamp Irish town as residents wade through murky water
(PA)
(PA)
(PA)
Maryam Zakir-Hussain19 October 2023 09:47
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East Coast main line chaos
The East Coast main line from Edinburgh, Newcastle and Yorkshire to London is in some disarray due to a series of problems – of which extreme weather is only one.
Storm Babet has led to the curtailment of an early train from London King’s Cross to Edinburgh; LNER, the train operator, says: “This is due to severe weather.”
Trespassers on the railway between Newcastle and Darlington have caused delays to some trains. Repairs to the Plessey Viaduct, between Cramlington and Morpeth in Northumberland, means only a single line is open – leading to cancellations and delays.
Network Rail said: “Specialist engineers from Network Rail need to carry out repair work to allow a full service.” Disruption is expected until 6 November.
(Network Rail)
Maryam Zakir-Hussain19 October 2023 09:20
https://www.independent.co.uk/weather/red-weather-warning-uk-storm-babet-b2432224.html
