Dozens of people were rescued or evacuated from homes in Wales after a river overflowed and swamped the town of Monmouth during heavy rains from Storm Claudia that drenched parts of the UK and Ireland. Aerial footage showed roads under muddy brown water, submerged cars and businesses along its main street flooded after the River Monnow rose to a record level and spilled over its banks.
Nearly 12 centimetres (4.7 inches) of rain fell in southeast Wales overnight and there was also some flooding in England from the storm that brought damaging winds that downed trees. Several rail lines were disrupted by high water or toppled trees. “I personally haven’t seen it so bad for probably 40 years,” since flood defences were put in place for Monmouth, said Peter Fox, a Conservative member of the Welsh Parliament. The centre of the town near the border of England is just upstream of where the Monnow joins the River Wye, the fourth-largest river in the UK.
Some 50 flood warnings were still in place across England on Saturday afternoon as a cold spell was expected to bring subfreezing temperatures to parts of the UK in coming days. Flooding was also reported in Portarlington, Ireland, and further damage was possible with some rivers not yet reaching their peaks. The high winds also knocked out power to thousands of homes and businesses and trees blocked roads.
