UK hit by flooding after heavy rain swells major rivers

Large areas of UK are submerged in murky floodwaters, resulting in damaged homes, spoiled farm crops and impassable rail routes and roads.

On Friday, heavy rainfall led to significant flooding of major rivers throughout Britain, prompting the government to issue over 300 flood warnings. Travel operators announced severe disruptions and approximately 1,000 homes have already suffered damage.

While the UK is accustomed to regular rainfall and some flooding in certain areas, the situation is exacerbating. The global climate breakdown, attributed to the combustion of fossil fuels, is causing more frequent and unpredictable extreme weather events. Coupled with underfunded domestic infrastructure, the country is struggling to cope adequately with these challenges.

A succession of storms in recent weeks meant prolonged rainfall that started on Thursday fell on saturated ground and quickly caused already-swollen rivers and waterways to burst their banks across England and Wales.

“We have woken up to, as many people will see, to a very wet situation across the country,” Caroline Douglass, the director in charge of flood management at the Environment Agency, told the BBC.

Douglass said around 1,000 homes had so far been flooded. Great Western Railways said its lines in three parts of the south of the country were closed. Roads in the worst affected areas were also closed.

More rain was forecast for Friday, albeit not at the same intensity as seen overnight, with drier weather expected to follow.

With inputs from agencies.