But beware – Storm Bella is blowing in
STORM Bella was due to sweep in today – bringing 80mph winds and up to 2. inches of rain for already sodden regions.
Dubbed a ‘threat to life’, the storm could bring more floods and cause havoc particularly in coastal areas, with flying debris and large waves.
The highest level amber warning has been activated for the whole of the southern coast, plus the West Country, and South and West Wales.
Storm Bella was named on Christmas Eve and will be the fourth named storm of the current season, after three in October. Its arrival this afternoon comes after heavy rain saw homes flooded across the country, ruining Christmas for some.
More than 1,000 people were evacuated from 00 caravans at the Billing Aquadome holiday park in Northamptonshire on Christmas Eve after the area was hit with ft of floodwater.
And during flash flooding in Norfolk on Christmas Eve, a man and a woman were rescued from a submerged car at Thorpe End, near Norwich, in what onlookers described as a ‘Christmas miracle’. Fire crews waded into freezing water neck-deep to rescue the pair, who were taken to hospital for assessment for possible hypothermia.
An 86-year-old woman also had to be saved after spending 0 minutes in ‘freezing’ floodwater in Peterborough on Christmas
Eve. Neighbour Patrick Lloyd, 27, said: ‘Luckily a bloke driving by saw her and got out and helped us with her. We were worried about hypothermia, she spent a night in hospital.’ Residents in parts of Bedfordshire were last night urged to leave their homes due to a risk of flooding.
Gusts of 0-60mph are now predicted inland with Storm Bella, rising to 60-70mph on coasts or high ground, and 80mph in the most exposed areas.
The Meteorological Office said: ‘Very windy weather is expected for parts of England, Wales and the far south of Scotland. Flying debris is likely and could cause injuries and danger to life.’
Forecasters said lives could also be at risk ‘from large waves and beach material being thrown on to sea fronts, coastal roads and properties (and) some damage to buildings could happen, such as tiles blown from roofs’.
The Met Office added: ‘There is a chance of fast-flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life.’ Travel disruption is also predicted.
Some 40-60mm (1.6ins to 2.4ins) of rain is expected on high ground, with 1 -2 mm (0.6-1ins) at lower levels.
Ninety flood warnings and 118 flood alerts remained in force yesterday, mostly across central England and East Anglia.
The Met Office said: ‘Recent wet weather and saturated ground makes areas more sensitive than usual to further heavy rainfall.’
‘Waded into freezing water’