UK floods: Homes without power as new storm approaches

 

Rescue teams have been helping people living near the River Thames, including some in Egham

Engineers are working to restore power to thousands of UK homes as forecasters warn a storm on Friday could be worse than Wednesday's destructive weather.

BBC Weather's John Hammond said the storm, approaching from the Atlantic, would be "every bit as intense, if not more" compared with Wednesday's.

About 56,000 UK properties remain without electricity after gusts of wind up to 112mph were recorded.
More rain is also expected, bringing further problems for flooded areas.

The Met Office has issued an amber "be prepared" warning for rain in south-west England on Friday, and another for wind along England's south coast on Friday evening and into Saturday.
It has also issued several lower-level yellow warnings for rain, snow and wind across much of the UK.

Another storm is moving in from the Atlantic and due to arrive on Friday, say BBC forecasters

 

Powerful winds battered Wales on Wednesday, uprooting trees in many areas including Cardiff

 

 

 

The River Severn has reached record levels in Worcester, and more rain is forecast for the coming days

"It looks like being the wettest winter on record and the groundwater has got nowhere to go," Mr Hammond said.

"The ground is like a sponge, the sponge is full to overflowing. What we do not need is more rain. [But] what we are going to get is another storm."

He said Friday's storm would reach south-west England in the early hours, with 15-25mm (up to 1in) of rain expected across southern counties, and "double that" possible in parts of the South West.
He added that winds of 70-80mph would affect the south coast of England late on Friday and into Saturday morning.

More persistent rain "will tend to ease away" over the weekend, he said, and there was "just a hint" that weather next week would be less severe and there would be longer gaps between storms.

• 112mph wind gusts recorded
  
• 319mm rain fallen in Thames Valley since mid-December
  
• Wettest January since 1776
  

Source: Environment Agency, Met Office, University of Reading

Seventeen severe flood warnings have been issued for parts of Berkshire, Surrey, Somerset and Gloucestershire.

Parts of the Somerset Levels have been flooded for several weeks, while areas near the Thames in Berkshire and Surrey have seen major flooding in recent days.
The latest severe warning was for the River Severn at Alney Island, Gloucester.

The Environment Agency has also issued more than 300 less serious flood warnings and alerts, mostly in southern England and the Midlands.

Train services in parts of the UK are cancelled and some roads are closed.
It comes after parts of the transport network struggled to cope during Wednesday's severe weather.