Storm Kathleen forces hundreds of holidaymakers to be evacuated from caravan site

Over 100 holidaymakers have been evacuated from a caravan park after the country was swept with torrential rain and 65mph winds overnight by Storm Kathleen.

Emergency crews were called to the flushed-out facility at Medmerry holiday park between Bracklesham and Sesley in West Sussex. Ambulance crews confirmed "a number of resources" were drafted in to help evacuate people at the site.

As reported in our sister title, the Mirror, one person was taken to hospital after displaying signs of hypothermia near Littlehampton, where local residents have been evacuated after the River Arun burst its banks.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said: “Our crews are supporting rescue operations in Littlehampton near Ferry Road and Rope Walk where the River Arun has burst its banks, leading to severe flooding. Residents should remain in their properties if it is safe to do so and get as high as possible within their homes. Please avoid the area and remain in your homes where possible to allow our crews to work safely".

In Hampshire, flooding has hit the railway at Lymington Pier while coastal roads have been left impassive in parts of Southampton. In dramatic scenes yesterday, motorists were rescued from their vehicles at high tide in Strood, near Colchester.

And local businesses and pubs have already been hit, as The Ship Inn at Langstone in Havant, flooded due to the high tide in the early hours of Tuesday. As torrential rain and strong gails grip the country, widespread travel disruption is to be expected.

South Western Railway said replacement buses had been requested between Lymington Pier and Brockenhurst in the New Forest, with disruption expected to last until 10am.

On the Great Western Railway, flooding between Clifton Down and Severn Beach means all lines are closed as water has risen above the tracks on the branch line. Trains running to and from Severn Beach will run between Taunton/Weston-super-Mare/Bristol Temple Meads and Clifton Down only until approximately 10am.

Heavy rain and strong winds will continue to batter parts of southern England, western Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland over the next few days, forecasters have said.

The Met Office has issued six separate yellow weather warnings spanning Monday to Wednesday morning. Winds in the south-west of England - including Cornwall and parts of Devon - could reach speeds of up to 60-65mph along some stretches of the coast.

The forecaster warned the powerful gusts, scheduled to last until 6am on Tuesday, had a “small chance” of causing power cuts and damaging buildings. A yellow weather warning for England’s southern coast, including Southampton and Brighton, says winds are expected to reach 45-55mph, peaking at 65mph in some areas before easing off from 9am on Tuesday.

Another yellow weather warning for Wales’ west coast has been issued between 1am and 3pm on Tuesday, when “a spell of strong winds” will affect the region with gusts reaching up to 65mph overnight. In Scotland, 20mm-40mm of rainfall is expected in some areas between 1am and 6pm on Tuesday, while a few could see as much as 50-60mm.

Areas under the warning include Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth and Aberdeen. Further rainfall is forecast in western Scotland between 9am and 6pm on Wednesday and may cause flooding, with 15-25mm of rain expected to fall in most places and 40-50mm forecast on high ground.

Between 10pm on Monday and 6am on Tuesday, eastern parts of Northern Ireland are forecast to experience heavy rainfall of between 25-30mm. The weather service warned rain and wind could cause disruption to rail and road travel across the country, as driving conditions worsen because of slippery road surfaces and limited visibility.

Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge said that while these levels of rainfall would not be a “huge cause for concern” on their own, they will fall onto “already saturated ground” which increases the risk of flooding. Met Office provisional statistics showed that England saw a record amount of rainfall in the 18 months to March.

The latest in a string of storms this winter and spring, Kathleen caused widespread travel disruption as hundreds of flood alerts were issued and thousands of homes lost power. The Environment Agency had 213 flood alerts and 100 flood warnings in place in England on Monday evening. National Resources Wales issued 13 flood warnings and 22 alerts.

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