Storm Jorge whips up wettest ever February

‘Herculean’ effort to erect flood defences after fourth consecutive weekend of severe weather hits Britain

THE Met Office declared last month the wettest February on record as Storm Jorge battered Britain in a fourth weekend of severe weather.

Heavy rain and strong gales hit already sodden communities with forecasters recording a UK average of 202.1mm, beating the February 1990 figure of 193.4mm.

A “Herculean” mission to erect flood defences is underway to prevent any further damage to areas already deluged by overflowing rivers.

Around 1,000 Environment Agency workers have every day been clearing debris, redirecting water using pumps and repairing parts of the 3.7 miles of barriers they have erected.

The agency warned that the country needs to brace itself for “more frequent periods of extreme weather like this” because of climate change.

England has had more than 200 per cent of its average February rainfall, with some areas getting a month’s worth in 24 hours.

Towns including Ironbridge and Bewdley along the Severn in the West Midlands, and West Cowick and Lidgate in East Yorkshire, along the Aire, are among the worst affected areas in the country.

Dave Throup, from the Environment Agency, praised the “Herculean efforts” to fix the barriers in Ironbridge.

Power cuts, transport delays and ferocious waves in coastal communities were also recorded this weekend, as emergency services and councils battled to keep residents and their properties safe. The promenade in Folkestone, Kent, was battered by water from the channel which surged over the railings.

Pets caught up in the flooding chaos included a chinchilla, which was being carried around the Yorkshire village of East Cowick in a cardboard box by its owner. Dog owners were also spotted being rowed to safety by rescue workers.

Meanwhile, gusts of up to 70mph and rising water levels led to police in Wales declaring a temporary “critical incident” on Saturday morning, advising people to stay indoors. Cardiff council said emergency teams worked through the night on flood defences, road closures and clearing debris to limit the damage from torrential rain.

More than 600 homes and a similar number of businesses have been hit in Wales, accounting for around a quarter of affected properties in the UK.

A total of 88 flood warnings were in place across England and Wales last night, mostly in the South West and along the English-Welsh border and in Yorkshire.

A further 217 “flooding is possible” alerts were also in force.Six yellow weather warnings for rain, wind and snow were in force across the country on Saturday morning, stretching from Cornwall to the north of Scotland and across to Northern Ireland.

Temperatures will feel close to freezing due to a wind chill, according to the Met Office, with some wind warnings in place until 3pm today.

Persistent snowfall was forecast over higher parts of Scotland, with up to 30cm predicted in some places, with warnings in place until noon tomorrow, the Met Office said.