A months worth of rain is expected to fall across the UK in the next 24 hours as deluged communities were struggling to cope in the wake of storm Dennis, it was reported on Thursday.
In a statement on Thursday, the Environment Agency (EA) said there was a “heightened flood risk” across the Midlands, with six severe warnings – meaning there is a danger to life – still, in place around the rivers Lugg, Severn and Wye, reports the BBC.
Dave Throup, the EA’s manager for Hereford and Worcestershire, said the Wye flooding was over half a metre bigger than anything for 110 years.
“It’s getting scary folks,” he said on Twitter, adding that “what I’ve seen over the last few days isn’t normal. It isn’t even the new normal. It’s going to get worse. We need to adapt and respond. And fast”.
Yellow warnings for rain remain in place in the south and north-west Waleson Thursday, with the Met Office saying they could see 50-60mm and 70-100mm of rain respectively.
Another yellow warning for rain covers part of north-west England on Thursday, where up to 100mm could fall.
“In the worst-case scenario we could see a month’s worth of rain,” the BBC quoted the Met Office’s Craig Snell as saying.
He said as the ground was saturated due to persistent, heavy rainfall, the rivers were less likely to be able to cope with further rain.