Homes evicted amid flooding chaos - Belfast Telegraph

Tuesday, 25 September 2012

Hundreds of people are facing a night in temporary accommodation after a second day of heavy rain brought flooding and travel chaos to parts of the UK.

More than 300 properties have flooded across the country since Sunday, including in Morpeth, Durham, Chester-le-Street and Stockton on Tees, the Environment Agency said.

Elderly residents at a council care home in North Yorkshire had to be carried to safety by firefighters after it became swamped by 3ft of water.

Roads and railways ground to a halt because of the rain and flooding, with the A1 and the East Coast Main Line among the routes hit by the conditions.

Some areas have seen more than a month's rain fall in 24 hours as downpours and strong winds battered parts of Wales, northern England and Scotland.

Among the worst hit was Ravensworth, North Yorkshire, which had 89mm (3.5in) in 24 hours and more than 100mm (4in) since Sunday. Northern Ireland has also seen heavy rain.

The Met Office said many places have had between 50mm and 70mm (2in to 2.8in) in the past 48 hours.

Heavy rain and strong winds are forecast to return to some southern areas with 20mm to 40mm (0.8in to 1.6in) likely in places into tomorrow.

The Environment Agency had issued 83 flood warnings for potential river flooding, and almost 150 less serious flood alerts.

The agency warned that river levels will continue to rise through Tuesday and Wednesday along the River Ouse in Yorkshire and the River Severn, which could cause further flooding as the water moves downstream.

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