insiderblmPeople have been evacuated from their homes overnight amid widespread flooding across England and Wales caused by Storm Christoph.
About 2,000 homes in the Didsbury and Northenden areas of Manchester, and in Ruthin and Bangor-on-Dee, North Wales, and Maghull, Merseyside, are affected.
There are more than 200 flood warnings in place – five of them severe – and weather alerts for rain and snow.
People have been told Covid rules allow them leave their homes in an emergency.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government is “totally prepared” for the dual crises of flooding and the pandemic and that Covid-secure facilities would be available for any people forced to evacuate as a result of the weather.
Heavy rainfall has already seen multiple major incidents and flood alerts declared across England and Wales.
Amber and yellow weather warnings are in force until Thursday morning for the storm, which is also threatening to bring up to 11.8in (30cm) of snow to northern areas.
Many rivers are at “dangerously high levels”, the Environment Agency said.
Pumps and sandbags had to be brought in to protect supplies of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine being held in a warehouse in Wrexham, north-east Wales, which was threatened by floods.
A resident of Didsbury, Fari Iravani, told BBC News his family has been told to evacuate but “during corona where do you evacuate to? You don’t want to impose yourself on other people”.
He added: “We are trying to hold on as long as we can, and hopefully it will pass… If there is a continuation of the rain and the storm, that’s going to be a problem.”
Nelson Vasconcelos, 37, said he could not leave his home in Didsbury with his two small children because he has no family nearby. “We spent all night moving things to the second floor and trying to keep the kids safe,” he said.
Lee Rawlinson, of the Environment Agency, said that flood basins on the River Mersey at Didsbury had protected properties in the area overnight.
“The top of the river came within centimetres of the top of the river bank but our defences there have served their purpose and kept those properties dry. But it was very close,” he told BBC Breakfast.
Severe flood warnings – meaning there is a risk to life – have been issued by the Environment Agency for the River Mersey at East and West Didsbury, and Northenden, south of Manchester city centre, as well as the River Bollin at Heatley and Little Bollington. Natural Resources Wales issued a severe warning for the River Dee at Bangor-on-Dee, Wrexham
There are also more than 190 flood warnings – meaning flooding is expected – across England, and 33 in Wales.
In other developments:
- An amber warning for snow in south-east Scotland has been issued, with up to 30cm (12in) of snow possible on the highest ground.
- The East Coast Main Line is affected by floods between York and Darlington, with LNER saying all lines are blocked in the surrounding area.
- Cleveland Police has warned of delays and disruption in the Redcar area, after the weather forced road closures.
- After some residents in the Maghull area of Sefton, Merseyside, were advised to leave their properties, Sefton Council said rain overnight had not been as heavy as predicted. The Environment Agency said levels of the River Alt were expected to remain high and flooding was still possible on Thursday.
- Northern trains advised its customers not to travel on its services north of Manchester before noon, saying a number of routes have experienced issues with flooding.
At the scene
BBC reporter Anna Jameson in Little Bollington
It’s very dark, very cold and very wet at the moment. The main road in Little Bollington, which leads on to the River Bollin and sits alongside the National Trust’s Dunham Massey site, has essentially become a river, with water peaking at about 2ft high and a severe red flood warning in place.
Residents were asked in the early hours to evacuate because there was a danger to life and the same happened just upstream in the village of Heatley.
Some people who have been evacuated have had nowhere else to go, because of the Covid restrictions, and in Northenden, in south Manchester, people initially sought refuge at the Wythenshawe Forum where they were welcomed with biscuits, cakes and brews.
Many had come from sheltered housing, and were elderly and more vulnerable and in many cases, confused by what was happening. Thankfully, they have since been transferred to hotels.
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority said it is believed river levels had now peaked in the area, which is fantastic news for residents.
In the early hours of the morning, North Wales Police began evacuating residents of Bangor on Dee from their properties. People sheltered for a short time in a church hall and some were now staying with relatives, while others had been found accommodation by the local authority, Wrexham council said.
On Wednesday evening, the force were called to help some residents in Ruthin who were being told to leave their homes, but they warned resources were being stretched by people who did not live locally driving to witness the floods.
Vehicles have also been pulled from floods in Tenby, Llandovery, Llandeilo and Whitland, Mid and West Wales fire service said.
Up to 8in (20cm) of rain was expected to fall, with the heaviest rain forecast for the north-west of Wales.
‘Never underestimate floods’
Speaking after a meeting of the government’s emergency committee Cobra on Wednesday, Boris Johnson urged people not to stay in their homes if they were told to evacuate.
“If you are told to leave your home then you should do so”, he said.
“People may think this is a minor issue at the moment, still relevantly minor by standards of previous floods, but never underestimate the suffering, the misery, that floods can cause people.
He also said steps were being taken to ensure the transport and energy networks were prepared so that electricity outages would not be “severe” and that there were sufficient supplies of sandbags.
The situation in Manchester was of particular concern, he said.
“We want to make sure that we are totally prepared in every part of the UK for flooding, because it is coming on top of the stress people are already under fighting Covid,” he added.
Labour’s shadow floods minister Stephanie Peacock said the government’s response to the floods had been “slow and uncoordinated”.
“We must ensure councils are supported to protect people, businesses, and local communities, and that all of the necessary precautions are also in place to protect those fighting the floods in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
