Storm Bert: Travel chaos erupts as nearly 200 flood warnings in place

We are now closing this live blog, thank you for following along.

An apparent mud slide has forced people from their homes in Cwmtillery, Wales.

Here cars are stuck in the mud after severe flooding.

A new yellow weather warning has been issued for northwest Scotland.

The warning will remain in place until midnight.

Further heavy rain combined with snow melt may lead to some flooding and transport disruption, the forecaster is warning.

A holiday park in Northamptonshire is being evacuated after heavy flooding caused by Storm Bert.

“Billing Aquadrome flood sirens have sounded and the holiday park is being evacuated by the management with assistance from Northamptonshire Search and Rescue and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service,” the agencies said in a joint statement.

There area is the only part of England to have a “severe” flood warning in place – meaning a risk to life.

A further 139 flood warnings remain in place.

Forecasters and politicians are heavily criticising why only a yellow weather warning was issued for South Wales when the country was left at the “mercy” of the storm.

The River Taff raged through the centre of Pontypridd on Sunday, overflowing its banks, homes and businesses.

Whilst homes in the parish of Cwmtillery, Blaenau Gwent, were evacuated after a landslip.

Two severe flood alerts have been downgraded in Wales, meaning there is no longer a threat to life.

Alerts at River Monnow at Forge Road, Osbaston and River Monnow at Skenfrith have been downgraded to flood warnings.

10 flood warnings and 21 flood alerts remain in place in Wales.

Dŵr Cymru has issued a ‘boil water’ notice for ten areas in Rhondda Cynon Taf, in the south-east of Wales.

Welsh Water says they have “delivered bottled water to customers on our Priority Services Register and care homes”.

In the notice, the water company says: “We ask that all customers boil their water with immediate effect before using it for drinking purposes. We are sorry for the inconvenience this will cause but we are working to restore supplies back to normal as soon as possible.

“We have delivered bottled water to customers on our Priority Services Register and care homes while also working with key sites such as hospitals.”

Great Western Railways warned passengers not to travel as it suspended services on all key routes because of flooding and fallen trees.

Disruption is expected to last until at least the end of Monday, it adds.

Transport for Wales said all services between Pontypridd and Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil are currently cancelled with disruption expected throughout Monday.

It added lines are closed between Hereford and Abergavenny due to a landslip with no rail replacement service available, while no services will run between Shrewsbury and Swansea until at least 12pm.

Hundreds of flood warnings and alerts are still in place.

In England, there’s one severe warning (River Nene at Billing Aquadrome and nearby business parks), 164 standard warnings and 211 flood alerts.

Storm Bert brought nearly a month’s worth of rain to parts of the UK in less than 48 hours with winds of up to 82mph recorded.

While some areas of south Wales received a month’s worth of rain in a single day.

In its most recent update, the has said “impacts from Storm Bert will continue to cause disruption as we go through today.

Andy Page, a Chief Meteorologist, said: “Impacts from Storm Bert will continue to cause disruption as we go through today, and multiple warnings are in place for wind and rain.”

“While the risk of any snowfall has now diminished, rainfall will affect much of the UK today, in particular some southwestern parts of England and South Wales, but the heaviest rain will ease from these areas through the day.

“The strong southerly winds continue today and warnings are in place for central, southern and eastern England, Northern Ireland and western Scotland where gusts could peak at 60 mph and could even reach more than 70 mph along some exposed coasts.

“Warnings could still be amended, possibly at short notice, so it is important people keep up to date with the very latest forecast.”

South Wales will be counting the cost of the storm after a major incident was declared in the Rhondda Cynon Taf region.

Between 200 and 300 properties in the area were affected by flooding.

Chris Bryant, the MP for Rhondda and Ogmore, said the flooding across the area is “unprecedented” and that he has “never seen it on this scale before.”

Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan said it had been “a really difficult weekend”.

She said: “I think this is the second time that many of those have suffered as a result of the storm.

“There’s been huge investments since the last storm hit, so we’ve managed to protect lots more properties than last time.

“But obviously this is absolutely devastating just before Christmas for those people who have been impacted.”

Passengers travelling on the West Coast Main Line are being advised about major disruption to services between Milton Keynes and Rugby due to severe flooding on the railway following Storm Bert.

All trains are suspended through Northampton station this morning (Monday 25 November) after the River Nene burst its banks causing extensive flooding on the railway and in the local area.

One main travel alert issued by the National Highways remains in place:

The A5 in Northamptonshire is closed in both directions between the A43 (Towcester) and A422/A508 (Old Stratford) due to severe flooding.

Specialist contractors are working at the scene to clear the flood water from the carriageway.

Flooded roadways include the A431 around Bath Road in Swineford, Shire Way Yate and adjacent roads, St Johns Way in Chipping Sodbury and adjacent roads, Stidcot Lane in Tytherington, Perrinpitt Lane in Bristol, and Old Gloucester Road in Winterbourne.

The M32 in Bristol was closed northbound between J1 near Hambrook and the M4 J19, and the A49 in Shropshire and Herefordshire was closed in both directions between Ludlow and Holmer.

Rail passengers have been urged not to travel on certain lines this morning.

Network Rail has advised people not to travel today on the following routes:

Penzance to London Paddington

Newport to London Paddington

Swansea to London Paddington via Cardiff Central

Bristol Parkway to London Paddington

Bristol Temple Meads, Swindon, Reading to London Paddington

Worcester to London Paddington

Exeter St Davids to Okehampton Exeter to Barnstaple

Rail passengers have been urged not to travel between Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, and Stansted Airport after multiple fallen trees damaged the electrical overhead wires.

Southern said some services on Monday will be cancelled or revised because of forecast severe weather, including on its London network and the West Coastway between Havant and Southampton.

A ‘danger to life’ warning has been issued for River Nene at Billing Aquadrome and nearby business parks due due to deep and fast flowing water.

The Environment Agency says: “This means there is danger to life and you must act now.”

The holiday park was flooded in September and January this year, leading to residents being evacuated.

Communities across the UK will continue to feel the impacts of Storm Bert today.

UK flood warnings:

In England, there’s one severe warning (River Nene at Billing Aquadrome and nearby business parks), 164 standard warnings and 211 flood alerts. In Wales, there are two severe warnings (River Monnow at Forge Road, Osbaston and River Monnow at Skenfrith), 22 standard warnings and 36 flood alerts. In Scotland, there are no severe warnings but four standard flood warnings remain.

Good morning. My name is Lauran O’Toole and I will be bringing you all the latest weather news this morning and into this afternoon.

While the worst of the weather may be over Storm Bert has wrecked chaos across the UK.

More than 200 flood alerts remain in place for England and Wales and travel issues are set to continue into the new week.