UK weather: Storm Jorge forces flood-hit towns to put up temporary barriers

Temporary flood defences are being set up in a desperate attempt to protect already submerged communities from Storm Jorge.

Environment Agency workers are scrambling to help towns and villages badly hit by Storm Dennis earlier this month, after forecasters warned that the latest surge of high winds and heavy rain was “not good news” for those areas.

Teams were seen putting up barriers in the Wharfage area of Ironbridge, Shropshire, on Friday, with many properties there still vacant after locals evacuated to escape the devastating flooding.

Storm Jorge will bring 70mph winds to parts of the UK on Friday, and there are a series of yellow warnings for wind and rain covering most of Wales and the North West up until Sunday morning.

The Met Office is predicting 50mm to 80mm of rain in those regions on Friday, and the South West of England and Northern Ireland are also covered by some of the alerts.

Met Office forecaster Emma Salter said: “It’s not good news I’m afraid, given all the recent rainfall we’ve had.

“There will be rain first thing in the South West and Wales, with a fairly dry start for most other places.

“That rain in the far South West will move eastwards and it will be raining pretty much everywhere by lunchtime.”

More flooding is possible as rain falls on already saturated ground, and a severe “danger to life” flood warning is still in force on the River Severn in Ironbridge.

The town was among those forecast to get more heavy rain on Friday, prompting work on the temporary barriers.

While the water level in the town finally fell from its peak on Wednesday, the Environment Agency has still been urging people to take action.

The agency warned: “Flood barriers at The River Severn at the Wharfage, Ironbridge, have been compromised and cannot prevent flooding of properties. Your safety, home and possessions are at risk. Act now.”

Winds of up to 70mph will also batter the coast on Saturday, with 60mph possible inland, as the storm moves northeast across much of the UK from the afternoon until Sunday morning.

But Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen said the Republic of Ireland would be hit hardest by the wind.

Jorge is the third named storm in recent weeks, after Ciara and Dennis.

The wild weather has already produced the second-wettest month on record, with 179.3mm falling by 25 February, and plenty more is expected before March arrives on Sunday.

Some areas have been deluged by a month’s rain in 24 hours this month and this weekend’s fresh batch of rain could break the February all-time record of 193.4mm, which was set in 1990.

Flooding also forced people in the Worcestershire town of Bewdley to evacuate on Thursday after the river there spilled over barriers.

And East Yorkshire residents were evacuated from the village of East Cowick after the River Aire broke its banks.

Some 67 “immediate action” flood warnings and 162 flood alerts remained in place in England as of Friday tea time, as the government continued to face criticism for being slow to send a minister to the flood-hit areas.

Visiting Ironbridge on Thursday, Environment Secretary George Eustice said the delay in going to the town was so emergency services could “deal with the immediate impacts” of the floods.

He also said the prime minister had not visited because he had “made it clear he wanted me to lead on this”, adding: “I have kept him regularly informed with what is happening.”

Boris Johnson declined to confirm on Thursday whether he would visit those made homeless and instead said flood defence was a “massive issue” for the UK and that the government would give another £4bn to address it.

(c) Sky News 2020: UK weather: Storm Jorge forces flood-hit towns to put up temporary barriers