Source link : https://londonnews24.com/2025/01/03/news/new-years-celebrations-drenched-heavy-rain-hits-the-uk/
Severe Weather Hits the UK: Flooding and Disruptions Mark New Year’s Celebrations
LONDON (AP) — The United Kingdom faced significant flooding on Wednesday as relentless rain and strong winds severely impacted the New Year’s festivities. Communities, particularly in and around Manchester, experienced inundation with several homes evacuated, while vehicles became trapped beneath rising waters on both roads and in parking areas after an influx of nearly a month’s worth of rainfall over just two days.
Authorities declared a major incident as mountain rescue units were deployed to assist firefighters dealing with flooded homes and stranded motorists, according to Greater Manchester Police. “Flooding is likely to persist throughout the day,” noted meteorologist Tom Morgan from the Met Office. “We anticipate that conditions may deteriorate further before any improvement occurs.”
Impact on Local Residents
Didsbury resident Tom Coulthard reported that the downpour commenced late Tuesday afternoon and continued overnight, overwhelming riverbanks by dawn necessitating evacuations from local hotels. Consequently, numerous routes were closed off due to unsafe conditions.
Coulthard, a geography academic at the University of Hull, remarked, “The water courses around here are fully saturated and have overflowed into surrounding areas. This illustrates a broader trend concerning our changing climate.”
Cancellations Across Celebratory Events
This torrential rainfall prompted cancellations for various New Year’s Eve fireworks displays in Edinburgh and across multiple cities alongside other planned activities such as chilly outdoor swims and bathtub racing events which were scheduled for New Year’s Day.
Despite London managing to proceed with its grand fireworks show along the River Thames near Big Ben, they had no choice but to delay their New Year’s Day parade due to inclement weather; inflatable floats remained grounded amid windy conditions. Participants including cheerleaders took refuge under clear coverings draped over their vibrant outfits in order to shield themselves from persistent rain.
Warnings Issued Nationwide
The Environment Agency issued flood warnings affecting over 150 communities throughout the U.K., predominantly targeting northern England during one evening timeframe; however many of these alerts were later rescinded within hours as water levels receded.
High water levels led to significant disruptions including train cancellations along affected routes while various highways remained closed for safety reasons. With temperatures dropping sharply across regions like Northern Ireland, North Wales, England, and Scotland faced icy forecasts extending until late Thursday morning; additionally forecasts warning of snow accumulation by this weekend have been released for vast portions of England as well as Scotland.
The post New Year’s Celebrations Drenched: Heavy Rain Hits the UK! first appeared on London.
Author : london
Publish date : 2025-01-03 10:01:46
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