Flooded residents gets prepare as river levels set to peak

• Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire residents prepare for peak river levels.
• EA predicted that river levels would peak in Shrewsbury on Fri night.
• River Severn was anticipated to peak later on Saturday night at 4.8m.

People in the West Midlands are experiencing flooding as they prepare for the weekend’s peak river levels.

On Friday, several Hereford residents came home to find water lapping at their doorsteps, and similar situations may be found in other towns and cities.

As Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and Shropshire took the brunt of the region’s rain, roads continued to be closed.

However, more is anticipated, and some peaks could still turn out to be fleeting.

The Environment Agency (EA) predicted that river levels would peak in Shrewsbury on Friday night, but that additional precipitation would cause them to increase once more.

The outcome would be difficult to forecast precisely until the EA understood how much rain would fall, according to Chris Bainger from the EA.

Levels were dropping on the swollen River Wye there at about midday on Friday, but for some, “their worst fears materialized overnight, with flood defenses failing and water coming in their homes”.

“The street’s own team of flood wardens have spent the early hours and morning checking on residents and moving any that need to from their homes,” he added.

“There are fears, though, that the water levels could get even higher with more rain forecast.”

The flooding, according to Mark Barrow from Shropshire Council, was comparable to what was experienced in February 2022, and he anticipated the commotion to last into the next week.

He advised people to use park and ride buses instead of driving into Shrewsbury and added: “We’re doing what we can to keep particularly Shrewsbury town center, but also other town centers, open but functioning as normal.”

A second nocturnal peak was anticipated as Sunday turned into Monday, while the River Severn was anticipated to peak later at between 4.4 and 4.8m at the Welsh Bridge.

The river will peak at Bridgnorth on Saturday night, according to Mr. Barrow.

According to Hereford and Worcester Fire Service, motorists continue to disregard warnings not to drive across floodwater.

On Thursday, at least eight occurrences required the rescue of automobiles, and its teams were dispatched to those incidents.

According to Transport for Wales, other disruptions included the temporary suspension of some train services between Shropshire and Wales and the operation of a bus service between Welshpool and Shrewsbury.

Additionally in Shropshire, some roads were still closed on Friday, and the Shrewsbury parking lots at Frankwell and St. Julian’s were deserted. Drivers were advised to avoid Croft Road, Newport Street, and Cattlemarket, and the Pitchcroft parking lot in Worcester was also closed.

At Coleham Head in Shrewsbury, flood defenses were put in place, and barriers at Frankwell and further downstream in Ironbridge and Bewdley, Worcestershire, remained in place.

The river was high in Ironbridge where a barrier was protecting the Wharfage area, said Mr. Bainger, adding: “Come the weekend we’ll get [the so-called] flood tourists.”

He issued a warning to tourists to Ironbridge to use caution near the water.

In the West Midlands, a yellow weather warning was issued starting at 21:00 GMT on Friday.

According to the Met Office, flooding danger would likely increase due to heavy rain and strong gusts that would likely impede movement.

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