Severe Weather Warnings in Place as Somerset Faces Flooding Crisis

Parts of the UK are experiencing another disrupted day due to heavy rain and wind, as hundreds of residents clean up after significant flooding impacted homes and businesses.

Two severe weather warnings from the Met Office remain active, raising concerns about additional flooding in the south-west of England and parts of Wales.

A major incident has been declared in Somerset, where towns including Somerton, Chard, South Petherton, and Ilminster have seen severe flooding, leading to the evacuation of around 100 people, some of whom were rescued by boat.

In Cornwall, the hamlet of Trenarren, located near St Austell, became isolated after a tree fell during the strong winds, blocking the only access road. Supplies have been passed over the fallen tree to assist stranded villagers.

A yellow weather warning for the south-west and parts of southern England is set to expire at 10am on Tuesday, but the Met Office anticipates a day filled with showers and sunshine, along with gales, hail, and thunderstorms in certain areas.

Additionally, a separate yellow warning is expected to remain in effect for south Wales and parts of mid-Wales until 9pm on Tuesday, as flooding may result in road closures, impacting bus and rail services.

This morning, there were 31 flood warnings in effect across England, indicating expected flooding in areas such as the River Avon near Bristol, the Axe at Axminster, and the River Severn at Tewkesbury. In addition, there were 168 flood alerts in place, suggesting possible flooding.

In Wales, nine flood alerts were reported, particularly for the River Wye in Monmouthshire and Powys, as well as the west coast of Anglesey.

The Environment Agency has noted flash flooding in Somerset due to already saturated ground conditions, emphasising the need to manage the excess water and prevent it from spilling into the low-lying Somerset moors.

Ben Lukey, the flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, indicated that the impacts of flooding could extend into Wednesday and Thursday. He urged the public to avoid swollen rivers and to refrain from driving through flood water, as even 30cm of flowing water can move cars.

National Highways has announced that one lane of the A303 is closed westbound near Yeovil due to flooding on Tuesday morning.

The severe weather is attributed to Storm Herminia, a low-pressure system named by meteorologists in Spain, which is anticipated to bring intense winds. Gusts of up to 84mph and nearly 60mm of rainfall struck parts of southern England on Monday.

Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna noted that Wednesday and Thursday are expected to be mostly clear, stating, "The trend over the next few days is for conditions to gradually improve."

Efforts are ongoing in Northern Ireland and Scotland to restore power to those affected by Storm Éowyn over the weekend. Scotland's First Minister, John Swinney, remarked, "It's a warning to us that climate change is here and its ferocity."