Storm Bert Triggers Landslide and High Winds in Wales

Storm Bert has led to widespread disruption throughout Wales, accompanied by weather warnings for strong winds and significant rainfall issued for Saturday and Sunday. The Met Office reported wind gusts reaching 82mph (130km/hr) at Capel Curig in Conwy county. Inland areas were anticipated to experience gusts of up to 60mph (96km/hr), while coastal regions could see winds up to 70mph (113km/hr). A landslide occurred around 14:00 GMT in Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Wrexham, necessitating the rescue of five adults and five children from a residence. The National Grid confirmed that thousands of homes in south and west Wales lost electricity. The public nationwide received advice to prepare for potential flooding, which could be exacerbated by melting snow, given that up to 150mm (6in) of rain was forecast. Natural Resources Wales has put in place multiple flood warnings and alerts. Jonathan Greatorex, who is the landlord of The Hand at Llanarmon pub, located near the landslide site, stated that emergency personnel had departed. He commented, “The community has been amazing and rallied round to support the family at what must be a deeply difficult time.” Jason Kelly, the Met Office chief meteorologist, described the situation, stating: “Storm Bert is what we call a multi-hazard event, bringing snow, rain and wind to the UK for the majority of the weekend.” He added that “It’s expected to develop during Saturday morning across the southwest, becoming particularly heavy and persistent overnight and into Sunday.” Kelly further indicated that 50-75mm (2-2.9in) of “particularly heavy and persistent rain is expected to fall fairly widely and the rapid melting of lying snow over the weekend may bring flooding for some.” A yellow weather warning for rainfall is active throughout Wales, valid until 06:00 on Sunday. Additionally, a yellow weather warning for powerful winds is effective until 21:00 on Sunday, covering Anglesey, Bridgend, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Gwynedd, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, and Vale of Glamorgan. Certain rail services have already experienced interruptions. The Conwy Valley and Heart of Wales lines, which operate between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog, and Swansea to Shropshire (passing through Carmarthenshire and Powys), respectively, are scheduled for closure on Saturday and Sunday due to the anticipated effects of the storm. Substitute road transportation will be provided during this period. Regarding road conditions, the M48 Severn Bridge was shut in both directions as a result of high winds. National Highways recommended that drivers utilize the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge. Furthermore, speed limits were imposed on the A55 Britannia Bridge, connecting Anglesey and the mainland. Irish Ferries’ Saturday sailings between Pembroke Dock and Rosslare, along with Stena Line’s routes between Fishguard and Rosslare, have been called off. This article is copyrighted by BBC in 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites and provides information regarding its approach to external linking.