Welsh First Minister Labels Storm Bert Flooding “Absolutely Devastating”

Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan has characterized the inundation brought by Storm Bert as “absolutely devastating,” as intense rainfall and powerful winds continue their progression across the United Kingdom. South Wales, where a major incident has been declared by one local authority, recorded over 100mm of rain in certain areas, while two regions in the country’s southeast are under severe flood warnings, indicating a “significant risk to life.” Ms. Morgan stated that officials had prepared for the storm, but added that “when you get the kind of enormity of rain we’ve had over the past few days,” minimizing the impact was always “going to be difficult.” The most severe rainfall is now moving eastward into England, where both the midlands and the southwest have also experienced flooding. Across the UK, more than 100 flood warnings are currently in effect. Yellow warnings for wind and rain have been active for western Scotland, southern England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, but are scheduled to expire late on Sunday. A single yellow warning specifically for wind will become effective on Monday, covering a portion of Scotland. Additionally, hundreds of flood alerts are in place across England, Wales, and Scotland. Wind gusts have reached speeds of 75mph in coastal zones and up to 65mph inland. North Wales Police announced on Sunday afternoon that officers had discovered a body while searching for a man who went missing at the River Conwy near Trefriw in Conwy county during the storm on Saturday. Formal identification has not yet occurred, but the family of Brian Perry, 75, has been informed, according to police. Around London, all of the Royal Parks, including Hyde Park and its popular Winter Wonderland attraction, were closed on Sunday due to high winds. The parks’ management indicated that re-openings on Monday would be delayed pending a safety inspection. Travel disruptions affecting roads and railway lines, caused by floodwater, strong winds, and fallen trees, persisted in some areas on Sunday, following similar incidents on Saturday. One train from Sheffield to London experienced a delay exceeding five hours, as the service took a detour and encountered further flooding along the alternative route. A resulting backlog caused the train to remain stationary for two hours, with staff distributing complimentary water and snacks. Many families with tired young children were observed crying, and passengers expressed frustration due to a lack of information. Images from Tenbury Wells in Worcestershire showed streets submerged in water as the town’s Kyre Brook rose and led to the collapse of a wall. In south Wales, the Rhondda Cynon Taf Council declared a major incident after significant flooding. The River Taff has overflowed its banks in Pontypridd, and residents in the town were seen using buckets to remove water from outside their homes. Wales’ First Minister mentioned “huge investment” since Storm Dennis, yet acknowledged that many people had been affected for a second time. When questioned about claims of insufficient warnings from authorities prior to the storm, she responded: “We certainly knew Storm Bert was coming, so there was an amount of preparation.” She continued: “But when you get the kind of enormity of rain we’ve had over the past few days – and it’s still coming down – then we’ve got to recognise that it is going to be difficult.” She further stated that discussions had commenced concerning the assistance to be offered to those impacted. She remarked that climate change was “clearly making a difference in the severity and the frequency of these weather events.” She elaborated, “There will come a point when it will be too difficult to protect every home in the country, but clearly we want to put the support in place if we’re able to do that.” Three rest centers have been established for residents who have been affected. The council also reported that between 200 and 300 properties, encompassing both residential and commercial structures, have been impacted by the flooding. Record river levels were observed on the River Taff on Saturday night; however, officials indicated that these levels were starting to recede as the rainfall diminished, though residents were still advised to exercise caution. Council leader Andrew Morgan announced at a news conference on Sunday afternoon that the Abercynon Feeder Pipe Footbridge, spanning the river, had been entirely swept away. This bridge was undergoing reconstruction after sustaining severe damage during Storm Dennis in 2020, an event that also resulted in substantial flooding for local homes and businesses. Mr. Morgan conveyed to reporters his “amazement” that merely a yellow weather warning had been issued for the region, stating that “we were preparing for the possibility of an amber warning.” To the east, National Resources Wales (NRW) released two severe flood warnings on Sunday for sections of the River Monnow in Monmouthshire. These warnings represent the highest level of alert possible, signifying an anticipated “significant risk to life” and widespread disruption from severe flooding. Paula Williams, a resident of Pontypridd, observed that the flooding occurred “in exactly the same place” as it had before, expressing criticism of NRW’s measures to sufficiently safeguard the locality. She further asserted: “They’ve tried to convince everybody that the flood defences worked. I have got videos proving the flood defences don’t work.” Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced on Sunday that he had communicated with Ms. Morgan and would persist in receiving updates regarding Storm Bert’s progression across the UK. He posted on X: “Thank you to the emergency services who are working tirelessly to protect communities — my thoughts are with those impacted.” Since Storm Bert reached land on Friday, a minimum of five men have died on the roads, including the individual identified as Brian Perry. A man in his 60s passed away on Saturday when a tree struck his vehicle near Winchester. Additionally, two other fatalities occurred in separate crashes—one in West Yorkshire and another in Northamptonshire—though these latter events have not been directly linked to the storm. In Lancashire, an octogenarian man died after his car drove into a ford on Saturday; police have not directly connected his death to the storm. Sections of Scotland endured a second consecutive day of disruption, marked by strong winds and localized flooding, following Storm Bert’s passage, which brought substantial snow and rain across the nation. Warmer temperatures led to the melting of snow that had blanketed northern England and large portions of Scotland earlier in the week. On Saturday, amber weather warnings for snow were active for certain areas of Scotland and north-east England, concurrently with extensive parts of the UK being under yellow weather warnings. After several hours of intense rainfall brought by Storm Bert, residents in Dundonald, Northern Ireland, found themselves confined to their homes on Saturday due to rising floodwaters.