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Man dies after vehicle submerged in flood water in Walsall Man dies in Walsall as flash floods hit West Midlands
(about 5 hours later)
A man in his 80s has died after his vehicle was submerged during flash flooding on a day of extreme and varied weather across the UK. A man in his 80s has died after his vehicle was submerged during flash flooding on a bank holiday weekend of extreme and varied weather across the UK.
Police were called to Rushall in Walsall just after 2am on Monday to reports that a vehicle had entered the water. The victim was taken to hospital but pronounced dead a short time later.Police were called to Rushall in Walsall just after 2am on Monday to reports that a vehicle had entered the water. The victim was taken to hospital but pronounced dead a short time later.
Officers urged people travelling over bank holiday weekend to take care across the West Midlands, with parts of Birmingham facing flash flooding after more than a month’s rainfall in an hour. But other areas of England were looking forward to the hottest day of the year so far. Parts of Birmingham and the West Midlands experienced more than a month’s rainfall in one hour on Sunday, leaving vehicles swamped by flood water up to 1.5 metres (5ft) deep. The flooding closed roads across the region, with a stretch of the M5 submerged.
Storms across the Midlands on Sunday left a stretch of the M5 submerged and other roads closed. Vehicles were swamped by flood water up to 1.5 metres (5ft) deep. The Met Office said 58.6mm of rain fell in 60 minutes in Edgbaston, and 81mm came down in a 12-hour period. The monthly average for the West Midlands in May is 55mm.
The Met Office said 58.6mm of rain fell in 60 minutes in Edgbaston, and 81mm came down in a 12-hour period. It issued a yellow weather warning for the region, meaning there could be danger to life. Craig Snell, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said the torrential rain had been very localised, pointing out that Coleshill in Warwickshire recorded just 3mm of rain in 12 hours.
The monthly average for the West Midlands in May is 55mm, said Craig Snell, a meteorologist at the Met Office. He said the torrential rain had been very localised. A West Midlands ambulance service spokesman said its crew arrived in Rushall to find two vehicles in the water. “Firefighters who had entered the water had found an elderly man at the vehicle and taken him to an ambulance crew who were at the water’s edge,” said a spokesperson.
Downpours could continue in some areas on Monday, with a yellow weather warning for rain in place as thunderstorms roll south through Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. “The ambulance crew carried out advanced life support before taking the man to Walsall Manor hospital, but sadly he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.”
A yellow weather warning for rain is also in place from Monday afternoon for large parts of East Anglia, the south-east, including London, the south-west and Wales. West Midlands fire service said it had dealt with more than 1,000 calls in just a few hours as the rainfell on Sunday. “We helped everyone we could, but had to prioritise incidents with life at risk, so if we weren’t able to help at the time, we apologise,” it said.
The Met Office has serious flood warnings in place for Coleshill in Warwickshire, Penkridge in Staffordshire, and Acton Bridge and Somerford in Cheshire. Forty-three less serious flood alerts remain in place for a swath of central England. People in Birmingham shared dramatic pictures on social media of locals wading through water to push stranded cars and of wheelie bins floating down roads. One man was filmed attempting to swim in deep water on Birmingham’s Stratford Road.
Meanwhile, temperatures of up to 29C (84F) are expected in the south-east, potentially surpassing the record for this year of 29.1C on 19 April in central London. Birmingham city council said it could not put a figure on how many properties were affected by the flooding, and advised people to beware of debris as the water subsided. The council said a cleanup operation was under way with additional street cleaning crews.
Snell said: “It all depends how much cloud develops. There’s a chance we could see the warmest day of the year. It will be quite widely into the 20s across many parts of the UK. For a bank holiday Monday, it’s not looking too bad. It was the second time in two years that some roads in the city had experienced flash flooding. In June 2016, hundreds of homes were flooded, with Selly Park, Harborne and Woodgate Valley the areas worst affected.
“Further thundery downpours might appear in the late afternoon – not everyone will see them, but if you do see one, they could be quite nasty. While downpours were forecast to continue in some places on Monday, with a yellow weather warning for rain in place as thunderstorms roll through Wales and southern England, other areas were looking forward to the hottest day of the year so far.
Scotland would have the most prolonged sunshine, he said, but most areas would start dry, and cloud cover would quickly burn off. While flood warnings remained in place for parts of the Midlands, temperatures of up to 29C (84F) were expected in the south-east, potentially surpassing the record for this year of 29.1C on 19 April in central London.
On Sunday, Highways England was forced to shut part of the M5 between Halesowen and Oldbury, and parts of the M42 and M6 were subject to lane and exit closures. Alex Deakin, a Met Office forecaster, said that while temperatures would stay high on Monday – with plenty of “hazy and warm sunshine” – there was a risk of further thunderstorms as the day went on. Downpours could “drop a lot of rain in a short period of time”, he said.
West Midlands police advised people to avoid driving in Birmingham. “Please try to avoid the following areas due to floods and road closures. Pershore Road at Oakfield Road, Selly Oak – reports of water 5ft deep. Road being closed and bus passengers being evacuated,” the force said. He forecast a grey start on Tuesday with a continuing threat of thundery showers in the south, with a lot of uncertainty about where exactly they would hit. Conditions are set to brighten later in the day, with temperatures easily reaching the high teens and low 20s.
Lots of flash flooding around the midlands this evening.If a road is flooded don’t drive down it, don’t let your stupidity or ignorance of the road conditions be a reason our colleagues @WestMidsFire @OFFICIALWMAS and @WMPolice have to come and rescue you! #DriveToArrive
Some rail services operated by CrossCountry were disrupted when severe weather caused signalling problems near Birmingham New Street.
Birmingham University had to close its main sport and fitness centre due to flooding, and several houses were reportedly deluged.
Images on social media showed people wading through water to push stranded cars, and there were reports of wheelie bins floating down roads.
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