Dennis isn’t done yet! Flood-hit Britons brace for MORE chaos as storm’s last blast of fury thrashes commuters today – after tempest killed three and forced thousands out of their homes over weekend
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Britain is facing another day of widespread flooding and travel chaos as Storm Dennis continues to batter the country with gale-force winds and heavy rain.
Three people died while thousands were evacuated from their homes over a storm-ravaged weekend, which saw more than a month’s worth of rain fell in 48 hours and coastlines buffeted by 90mph winds.
Disruption is set it continue today, with the Environment Agency warning of ‘significant’ flooding as it issued more than 600 alerts covering the length and breadth of the country.
Severe weather warnings for wind have also put in place by the Met Office, covering all of Scotland, the south-west coast of England and coastal areas in Wales.
Roads and railways were flooded on Sunday morning after torrential downpours and high winds caused by the second storm in just over a week.
The situation was said to be ‘life-threatening’ in South Wales, where the Met Office issued a red warning due to heavy rainfall and flooding risk until 11am.
The Environment Agency’s flood and coastal risk management executive director John Curtin said on Sunday that there were a record 594 flood warnings and alerts in force.
Britain is facing another day of widespread flooding and travel chaos as Storm Dennis continues to batter the country with gale-force winds and heavy rain (shown right is wind warnings issued by the Met Office today)
A family is rescued from a property in Nantgarw, Wales yesterday. The situation was said to be ‘life-threatening’ in South Wales, where the Met Office issued a red warning due to heavy rainfall
Flooded houses on Sion Street after the River Taff burst its banks in Pontypridd, Wales on Sunday. The Met Office issued a red weather warning for rain in Wales and a yellow weather warning for wind for large parts of the UK
Mr Curtin tweeted: ‘Breaking: we now have the most flood warnings and alerts in force (594) in England than any other day on record.’
The Met Office said that winds of more than 80mph were recorded across parts of the country, with the highest measuring 91mph in Aberdaron in north Wales on Saturday.
A total of 156.2mm of rain fell at Crai Reservoir in Powys in the 48 hours from Friday to Sunday morning, it added.
The average monthly rainfall for February in Wales is 111.1mm, the Met Office added.
Severe flood warning have been issued for the rivers Neath and Taff in South Wales, as well as the River Teme further north.
Pictures on social media show the Taff bursting its banks and flooding parts of Pontypridd, while rescue workers were using boats to get families to safety after further flooding in nearby Nantgarw.
Gwent Police said that residents of Skenfrith, Monmouthshire, were being advised to evacuate due to the flooding.
At about 11am on Sunday there were 250 flood warnings, meaning immediate action is required, and 344 flood alerts warning people to be prepared, covering an area from Scotland’s River Tweed to the rivers of west Cornwall.
A commercial bin floats in flood water in a flooded street in Tenbury Wells, after the River Teme burst its banks in western England