Local authorities in Wales are not-happy with Met Officeʼs yellow-level warning for Storm Bert which caused major flooding this weekend. Council leader Andrew Morgan expressed surprise at the low-level alert saying “During Storm Dennis we saw an amber warning in advance and a red warning issued in the early hours; I do think that will need to be reviewed shortly“
The storm hit Rhondda Cynon Taf region hard (with about 300 properties getting flooded) and officials had to declare a major incident. Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan pointed out that many homes faced flooding for the second time but mentioned that recent flood-protection work helped save lots of properties
Tragic news came from different parts of UK as the storm moved through: authorities found a body during search for 75-year old Brian Perry near Afon Conwy river; another elderly man passed away when his car got stuck in water in Lancashire
The storms impact on infrastructure was significant - around 350k homes lost power; though most got it back quickly. Air travel faced big problems with more than 300 flights cancelled; Heathrow airport struggled with 40-mph crosswinds
Met Office services director Simon Brown defended their actions: “Storm Bert was well forecast 48 hours in advance with warnings highlighting flood risks; weʼll review our warning strategy with partners in coming days“
- More than 200 flood alerts stay active in England and Wales
- Travel problems will likely continue into next week
- Most power-affected homes now have electricity back