Communities Respond to Storm Darragh’s Aftermath

Following Storm Darragh, over 2,000 residences in Herefordshire and Worcestershire are still experiencing power outages. Winds reaching speeds of up to 60mph caused hundreds of trees to fall across Worcestershire. The county council reported that its “tree gangs” responded to 150 incidents during the weekend. The ongoing risk of additional flooding persists, with six warnings currently active throughout both counties. Matthew Lawrence, representing the Environment Agency in the West Midlands, conveyed that the “key message” for residents in flood-susceptible areas is to “[stay] aware, sign up to flood warnings and keep your eye on the news”. The River Wye reached its highest level in Herefordshire on Sunday; however, Mr Lawrence indicated that this would be a “prolonged peak,” with water levels expected to stay elevated for a period of three or four days. The River Severn in Worcestershire is anticipated to reach its peak level on Tuesday. In Hereford, volunteers at the local rowing club are contending with floodwaters for the second occasion within a few weeks. The club’s three parking areas are submerged once more, and on this occasion, the building’s interior has also been inundated. Thomas Wood, a representative from the club, stated, “[There is] silt and mud everywhere.” He added, “We jet wash it – there’s a drain underneath and it goes back into the river.” Mr Wood mentioned that members of the club were collaborating to assist with the situation. He further commented, “We know what we’re doing now, we know what to expect… We are prepared.” A short distance from the rowing club, residents residing on Greyfriars Avenue have found themselves unable to traverse the street on foot, prompting local flood warden Colin Taylor to transport individuals by boat. Mr Taylor remarked, “It’s a community, we help each other.” He continued, “If I’m in distress, they’ll help me out. It’s all part of the bigger community which we have built up over the last four years since all these big floods [started].” Only two weeks prior, the town of Tenbury Wells in Worcestershire experienced significant damage from Storm Bert. Although Storm Darragh did not cause damage of the same magnitude, certain activities at the town’s yearly Mistletoe Festival were either relocated indoors or entirely called off. Local county councillor David Chambers commented, “The traders had a reasonable day, but nothing like what they were hoping for.” He added, “I think now we’re just hoping that Christmas… will bring some good business to them all.” Mr Chambers stated that Storm Darragh had once more underscored the town’s urgent need for updated flood defences. He noted that multiple businesses had already ceased operations following Storm Bert. He expressed, “My fear now is if we flood again… we will see more business fail.” He warned that without assured flood defences, commercial activity in the town might “collapse” within the next two years. For updates, follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.