Storm Bart is expected to cause further disruption on Monday after torrential rain caused “catastrophic” flooding and major accidents in Wales over the weekend.
The Japan Meteorological Agency's last rain warning was lifted at 11:59pm on Sunday, but strong winds continue and rain from higher ground could reach rivers, disrupting cleanup efforts.
Hundreds of homes were flooded, roads turned into rivers and winds of up to 132mph were recorded across Britain. At least five deaths have been reported in England and Wales since the storm struck.
More than 200 flood warnings remain in place across England and Wales, with travel issues expected to continue into the new week. Thousands of homes are without power, and flights and trains have been delayed or canceled due to the weather.
South Wales has been hit hard by storm damage after a major incident was announced in the Rhondda Cynon Taf area on Sunday amid fears the impact could be worse than that of Storm Dennis in 2020. is being calculated.
In a post on X, Keir Starmer thanked emergency services and said he had spoken to Wales' first minister, Erned Morgan. The prime minister said on Sunday: “My thoughts are with those affected.”
Mr Morgan said it had been a “really difficult weekend” and the flooding had been “absolutely devastating” for everyone involved. “It has been a really difficult weekend and I would like to thank the emergency services for all the support they have given to those affected,” she said.
“I think this is the second time many of them have been affected by the storm. There has been a huge amount of investment since the last storm hit, so they have much more assets to protect than the last time. But for those affected just before Christmas, this is obviously devastating.”
Storm Bart brought 80% of November's rainfall. Capel Currig in north Wales received 64.4 millimeters (2.53 inches) of rain in 12 hours on Saturday, with wind gusts of up to 82 miles per hour (132 kilometers per hour) recorded in the village.
Brian Perry, 75, went missing in the River Conwy in north Wales the previous day and his body was discovered during a search on Sunday afternoon.
Meanwhile, a man in his 60s has died after a tree fell on his car on the A34 near Winchester, Hampshire Police said.
A man in his 80s died in hospital after being rescued from a car that plunged into shallow water on Saturday afternoon. A woman in her 80s was also rescued from the car and taken to the hospital. The force said her condition is not life-threatening.
Two other fatal accidents occurred while the storm hit the UK.
A 34-year-old man has died in a single-vehicle collision in the early hours of Saturday, West Yorkshire Police said. It is unclear whether the incident was related to Storm Bart, but it is known that the roads were not icy.
In Northamptonshire, a man in his 40s has died after a crash on the A45 near Furore. It is unclear whether the incident is related to the storm.
Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council leader Andrew Morgan said he was “surprised” the Met Office had only issued yellow weather warnings.
“We were preparing for the possibility of an Amber Alert being issued on Saturday,” he said on Sunday. “That didn’t happen, but we made the decision ourselves to step up our resources, open a warehouse and staff our crews.
“I'm surprised there wasn't a red alert. During Storm Dennis there was an amber alert in advance and a red alert in the early morning. I think that will need to be reviewed soon. ”
The Met Office predicted that the rain in south-east England would clear on Monday, but heavy rain could continue in the north-west.
The storm left about 350,000 homes without power, but most have since restored power.
More than 300 flights scheduled to depart from UK airports were canceled during the Bad storm, according to aviation analysis firm Sirium. Heathrow Airport was the worst hit, with crosswinds of up to 40mph disrupting departures and arrivals on Sunday.
