The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for parts of England and Wales on Thursday.
“Batteries are important assets in a flooding emergency (Image: Getty)
As rainy weather continues to impact parts of the UK, the Met Office has issued a yellow warning for the areas of south England and Wales. This Thursday, residents in multiple locations should expect heavy rainfall and the risk of surface weather flooding, according to the meteorological service. This might result in the flooding of a few homes and businesses, as well as disrupted bus and train services. As water and electricity are a lethal combination, local supply might be cut in order to prevent electrical fires and shocks. Households are therefore urged to make sure that they have enough batteries for some of their devices as advised by the Met Office.
Cities that might be at risk include Brighton, Portsmouth, Southampton, Winchester, Salisbury, Bath, Wells, Bristol, Gloucester, Worcester, Hereford, Cardiff, Swansea, Exeter, Plymouth and Truro.
The Met Office forecast reads: “A deepening area of low pressure will migrate northeastwards across England and Wales on Thursday. Whilst the exact track is uncertain, rain will become persistent and heavy through the day, before clearing to the north through the evening and night. Accumulations of 20-40 mm are expected fairly widely, in some places falling in just a few hours, with the potential for 40-70 mm in a few isolated spots, this most likely across parts of the southwest England. Given the saturated ground, this may lead to some surface water flooding.”
A yellow warning has a medium likelihood and a low impact. However, residents should check if their property could be at risk of flooding. If so, consider preparing a flood plan and an emergency flood kit.
To avoid delays, check road conditions, or bus and train timetables as often as possible. For power cuts, it is recommended to gather torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items. It is also important to stay prepared for weather updates from the Met Office.
The Met Office website reads: “Think about putting together an emergency flood kit with essential items that will help you cope in a flood, including:
- Insurance documents and list of contact numbers
- Torch & spare batteries
- First aid kit and any prescription medicines
- Warm waterproof clothes and blankets
- Bottled water and snacks
- Battery or wind-up radio
- Supplies for looking after your baby or pet
“Make sure that everyone knows where to find this kit and what to do if flooding happens.”
Regions and local authorities affected:- full list
London & South East England
- Brighton and Hove
- East Sussex
- Hampshire
- Isle of Wight
- Oxfordshire
- Portsmouth
- Southampton
- Surrey
- West Berkshire
- West Sussex
South West England
- Bath and North East Somerset
- Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole
- Bristol
- Cornwall
- Devon
- Dorset
- Gloucestershire
- North Somerset
- Plymouth
- Somerset
- South Gloucestershire
- Swindon
- Torbay
- Wiltshire
Wales
- Blaenau Gwent
- Bridgend
- Caerphilly
- Cardiff
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Monmouthshire
- Neath Port Talbot
- Newport
- Powys
- Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Swansea
- Torfaen
- Vale of Glamorgan
West Midlands
- Herefordshire
- Worcestershire
Source: Met Office. Warning issued 10:29 (UTC) on January 13.
