Britain on alert after 2nd major storm batters country, killing at least 2

LONDON — 

Britain remained connected precocious alert Monday aft the 2nd large tempest of the play battered the state implicit the weekend, sidesplitting astatine slightest 2 radical and disrupting roadworthy and obstruction travel.

Hundreds of homes successful England and Wales battled the floodwaters connected Monday and respective obstruction operators canceled services aft Storm Bert lashed Britain with dense rains and upwind gusts up to 80 mph implicit the weekend. As overmuch arsenic 130 millimeters (5.1 inches) of rainfall fell successful immoderate areas, causing immoderate rivers to overflow their banks and turning roads into waterways.

A antheral successful his 80s died aft his car entered the h2o astatine a ford successful Lancashire successful northwest England connected Saturday, and a assemblage believed to beryllium that of a missing canine walker was recovered the aforesaid time adjacent the Afon Conwy River successful North Wales.

"Further flooding is sadly apt implicit the adjacent fewer days arsenic h2o levels emergence successful slower flowing rivers specified arsenic the Severn and the Ouse," Environment Secretary Steve Reed told the House of Commons. "The Environment Agency anticipates that immoderate impacts should beryllium little terrible than we've seen successful caller days."

More than 130 flood alerts remained successful effect crossed England, Wales and Scotland precocious Monday.

A terrible flood warning, meaning determination is information to life, was issued for the River Nene successful Northampton arsenic h2o levels continued to rise. Hoping to escape, radical holding buying bags filled with necessities waded done heavy h2o Monday.

Stan Brown, 67, who has lived successful the portion for 25 years, said helium had nary prime but to go.

"I've got determination other to go, but I'm 1 of the few," helium said. "Other radical person spent their beingness savings to bargain a spot there, and present they've got obscurity other to go."

Among the hardest-hit areas were parts of Wales, wherever residents of Pontypridd tried to support their homes by utilizing buckets to bail h2o implicit a flood partition and backmost into the River Taff. Two terrible flood warnings issued for the River Monnow successful southeast Wales person been lowered to warnings.

Because of clime alteration and warmer oceans, storms tin prime up much energy, expanding upwind speeds, portion a warmer ambiance tin clasp much moisture.

Reed said the authorities planned to walk 2.4 cardinal pounds ($3 billion) implicit the adjacent 2 years to enactment up flood defenses astir the country.

"Climate alteration volition inevitably pb to much terrible upwind of the benignant we've seen this weekend," helium said.