Yahoo News UK flood warnings issued as cold snap ends with heavy rain
Flood warnings have been issued and treacherous conditions forecast across the UK as the recent cold snap gives way to milder temperatures.
Heavy rain and meltwater have swollen rivers in parts of England and Wales, where the the Environment Agency has issued eight flood warnings and 52 flood alerts.
On Sunday, homes were evacuated in north Devon as heavy rain caused landslides, road damage and flooding, and Environmental Agency staff were deployed with pumps to assist those affected.
Following heavy rain in North Devon, we are supporting partners responding to surface water flooding and a landslide. Our teams have been deployed on the ground to check flood defences and clear river trash screens. We also deployed pumps at Mill on the Mole Parkthomes site. pic.twitter.com/oSFlm2PjSl
— Environment AgencySW (@EnvAgencySW) January 21, 2018
The Met office has issued yellow weather warnings for icy conditions in north-east England and Yorkshire for Monday morning.
The morning rush hour is looking milder than of late and dry for many, but in the southwest it'll be a wet start and there'll be some showers in the north pic.twitter.com/pz7w2fT2ET
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 21, 2018
“Icy patches are likely to form on Sunday night and last into Monday morning. With surfaces left wet from Sunday afternoon’s mix of rain, sleet and snow, icy patches are likely to form overnight and into Monday morning on any untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths. Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces are possible,” it warned.
On Sunday people were forced to flee homes in Kentisbury, near Barnstaple, and properties were flooded in Combe Martin on nearby Exmoor, the Devon and Cornwall police force said.
The Environment Agency issued flood warnings for people to take immediate action on the rivers Taw and Exe in mid-Devon, and three others in Somerset and Wiltshire.
Further flood warnings were in place on the River Wye in Herefordshire and Riseley Brook in Bedfordshire.
In Somerset, Cheddar Gorge was closed to traffic after rain washed rocks and debris into it.
Train services between London, Devon and Bristol, and services in south Wales were affected by flood waters on Sunday night. A Great Western Railway spokesman said: “Due to heavy rain flooding on the railway between Swindon and Chippenham all lines are blocked.”
The milder conditions follow a weekend of heavy snow and freezing conditions, with temperatures as low as -13.5C in Dalwhinnie in the Scottish Highlands, the lowest temperature since February 2016.
On Sunday afternoon, five people were injured in a two-car crash amid hazardous conditions in the Highlands. Police said the injuries were not thought to be life-threatening. The A82 near Glencoe mountain resort was closed while officers dealt with the incident.
The snow gates at Glencoe were closed as the weather deteriorated, with winds causing drifting snow and white-out conditions.
In Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland, a 64-year-old man was rescued by a mountain rescue team on Sunday afternoon after he tried to walk to safety after spending a week cut off by snow.
On Saturday morning, two climbers were rescued after being stuck in a precarious position on a mountain ridge. The pair survived the night without shelter at 3,000ft at Bidean Nam Bian in Glencoe.
After blizzards prevented the Glencoe mountain rescue team reaching them on Friday, a coastguard helicopter located them just after 8.30am on Saturday morning. The coastguard warned people not to put themselves in unnecessary danger.
