Hundreds of homes evacuated in UK after a week of powerful storms, rainfall
A major incident has been declared in Nottinghamshire along the banks of the River Trent, where more than 100 homes have been flooded, with the potential for the numbers to rise throughout the day. Neil Clarke, leader of Rushcliffe Council in Nottinghamshire, emphasized on BBC Radio 4's Today program that while water levels on the River Trent were starting to recede slightly, the situation remained grave.
The Environment Agency reported that the river's levels are among the highest seen in 24 years, reaching a peak of 5.35m, just below the record set in 2000 at 5.5m. Executive flood director Caroline Douglass informed BBC Breakfast that over 1,000 properties have been flooded this week in England, with hundreds affected overnight into Friday. Notably, 50 properties on Alney Island in Gloucester were evacuated.
Explaining the situation, Ms. Douglass stated, «We're a country that's wet, and we always do get a lot of rainfall.» She pointed out that the ground was already saturated from previous storms, and the recent rainfall had exacerbated the situation. «In that situation, we get more flooding and greater impacts than we've seen and probably in areas where people aren't used to it.»
Firefighters led around 50 people to safety after a canal burst its banks in Hackney Wick, causing flooding in a 10-acre area. Additionally, a party boat moored at Temple Pier on the River Thames sank due to heavy rainfall.
Opposition parties, including Labour, are urging Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to visit the affected areas. Labour has criticized the government, accusing it of negligence regarding flood warnings and calling for an urgent «Cobra-style taskforce» to protect
