Storm Bert Triggers Extensive Flooding and Road Closures

Widespread flooding, road closures, and transport disruptions have occurred in the West Midlands following the ongoing impact of Storm Bert. In Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, the Kyre Brook’s rising waters led to a wall collapse, inundating a significant portion of the town centre. Concurrently, a landslide near Rochford resulted in the closure of the B4203. During the morning, a man required rescue from his vehicle in Walsall. This incident prompted the West Midlands Fire Service to issue a warning advising individuals against driving through flooded areas. Educational institutions in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, including those in Tenbury, announced their closure for Monday, citing localized flooding as the reason. Several roadways throughout Herefordshire and Shropshire experienced closures, specifically mentioning the B4203 at Bromyard and the A49 close to Church Stretton. Additionally, train services between Shrewsbury and Swansea were cancelled, and the rail line connecting Birmingham to Shrewsbury faced temporary blockage due to track flooding. Services from Birmingham Snow Hill to Stratford-upon-Avon, as well as those between Worcester Foregate Street, Great Malvern, and Hereford, also experienced disruptions. Trains departing from Walsall encountered cancellations or delays after floodwaters reached the station premises. This situation occurred after comparable flooding was observed at Gobowen station in north Shropshire on Saturday afternoon. Nevertheless, Tenbury Wells bore the brunt of the flooding, where a wall’s collapse on the Kyre Brook resulted in a rapid inundation of water across the town’s streets. The exact instant the wall gave way was broadcast live via the Farson Digital Watercams feed, recorded at 11:40 GMT. David Chambers, a county council representative for Tenbury, stated that the brook’s water level had reached the top of the wall prior to its collapse. He further noted that the flooding, exacerbated by full drains, led to sewage overflowing onto Market Street. “There was a bit of a panic because we didn’t realise just how much of the area would flood as a result of that wall collapsing.” He also mentioned that some individuals were still inside their businesses establishing flood defences, and a number of them required assistance from firefighters to reach safety. Chambers commented, “Tenbury is enormously resilient, our businesses are tremendous but this is another flood – we only had the last one a couple of weeks ago.” He reiterated his earlier appeals for the Environment Agency (EA) to formally approve the construction of flood defences in Tenbury, emphasizing that they were “desperately” required. Video recordings showing a tractor navigating the inundated streets, generating bow waves that struck shop windows, provoked public outrage on social media platforms. Louise Preston, proprietor of the Pitter Potter pottery shop in Tenbury, reported that the store’s front window was shattered by water as the tractor passed by. She further stated that the bow wave also damaged the windows of other establishments and characterized the event as “devastating for the town”. While the water level in her shop decreased over the course of the day, she noted that it had reached waist height in certain areas at its peak. She added, “This is not what the town needed, particularly not in the run-up to Christmas which, at the pottery studio, is out busiest time.” Ms Preston expressed her hope for the store to reopen promptly, but acknowledged that, given the window damage, she could not specify a timeline. She concluded, “The town always pulls together really well in times like this.” In other locations, fire personnel reported responding to a call on Bridgeman Street in Walsall during the early morning hours to extricate an elderly driver trapped in floodwaters. The driver sustained no injuries. Floodwaters obstructed railway lines connecting Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley, and a tree that had fallen at Earlswood impeded the track between Stratford and Shirley. In Shrewsbury, the Frankwell Main and Riverside car parks were closed as a result of elevated river levels. Herefordshire Council indicated that the flooding had also led to road damage at Lockhill, Upper Sapey, and Leintwardine High Street. Concurrently, Birmingham Airport announced minor delays attributed to the prevailing weather conditions. The Environment Agency has issued approximately 30 flood warnings and over 45 flood alerts spanning the West Midlands, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and Shropshire regions. In Orleton, the EA stated that residences faced potential flooding once the Mill Brook level reached 0.65m. On Sunday morning, it peaked at 1.32m, subsequently receding to 0.69m by the evening. With river levels anticipated to stay elevated, flood barriers were erected in Bewdley, Worcestershire, and across areas of Herefordshire. A yellow wind warning remains active until the conclusion of Sunday, potentially leading to further disruptions. 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 found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.