April 9th 2024.
Early this morning, hundreds of residents were forced to leave their homes in West Sussex as the River Arun burst its banks. The situation was dire, with local emergency services scrambling to prepare for rescue operations in the seaside town of Littlehampton. The West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service issued a warning to those in the affected area, urging them to take precautions against the severe floodwaters caused by Storm Kathleen.
According to a statement on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, the emergency service stated that they were currently supporting rescue efforts in Littlehampton, specifically near Ferry Road and Rope Walk, where the River Arun had overflowed and caused severe flooding. They advised residents to remain in their homes if it was safe to do so, and to seek shelter on higher levels within their properties. For those in need of immediate assistance, the fire and rescue service or the coastguard could be reached at 999.
As the shocking weather continued overnight, more and more residents were forced to evacuate their homes. Garages and houses were completely submerged, and dozens of homes were flooded due to the overflowing river. Thankfully, emergency services were quick to respond and helped to safely transport people to dry ground.
The West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service urged people to avoid the affected area and to stay in their homes if possible, in order to allow their crews to work safely. In addition to the rescue operation in Littlehampton, they were also dealing with a severe flooding incident at Medmerry holiday park between Bracklesham and Selsey. They advised anyone in the vicinity of the holiday park to move to higher ground if they were able to safely leave their homes.
Unfortunately, the wild weather was not limited to West Sussex. The Met Office issued multiple yellow weather warnings for different parts of the UK, spanning from Monday to Wednesday morning. In Hampshire, flooding caused disruptions to the railway at Lymington Pier, resulting in cancellations, delays, and revisions to train schedules. Replacement buses were requested between Lymington Pier and Brockenhurst, with the disruption expected to last until 10am.
In Pembrokeshire, the A487 at Penycwm was closed due to surface water, prompting Dyfed-Powys Police to urge motorists to avoid the area. The Met Office also warned of heavy rain and strong winds in parts of southern England, western Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, which could cause power cuts and damage to buildings.
In Scotland, rainfall of up to 40mm was expected between 1am and 6pm on Tuesday, with some areas potentially receiving up to 60mm. In Wales, a spell of strong winds was forecasted for Tuesday morning, with gusts reaching up to 65mph. Western Scotland was also at risk for flooding, with up to 50mm of rain expected in some areas.
Meanwhile, eastern parts of Northern Ireland were forecasted to experience heavy rainfall of 25-30mm between Monday night and Tuesday morning. The Met Office warned that these weather conditions could lead to disruptions in travel and advised caution while driving on slippery roads with limited visibility.
Meteorologist Simon Partridge explained that while the amount of rainfall may not seem alarming on its own, the already saturated ground increased the risk of flooding. He also noted that the past three months had seen a lot of rain, with April's Storm Kathleen causing widespread travel disruptions and power outages.
The Environment Agency had over 200 flood alerts and 100 flood warnings in place in England on Monday evening. Partridge stated that the unsettled weather was expected to continue into the spring, with the jet stream being further south than usual for this time of year.
However, there is a silver lining in the forecast. The second half of the week is expected to bring drier weather and warmer temperatures in the south of the UK, with temperatures potentially reaching 19-20C. Overall, the weekend is expected to return to normal conditions. Partridge added that despite the warmer temperatures, the north of the UK would still experience unsettled weather.
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