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Woman dies as floods hit Midlands and north of England | Woman dies as floods hit Midlands and north of England |
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Police pull body from water in Derbyshire as torrential rain causes major disruption | Police pull body from water in Derbyshire as torrential rain causes major disruption |
A woman has died and dozens of homes have been evacuated after widespread flooding across large swathes of the Midlands and northern England. | |
Some parts of the country received more rainfall in just 24 hours than they normally get in a single month, as more than 100 flood warnings were issued – including six warning of a risk to life. | Some parts of the country received more rainfall in just 24 hours than they normally get in a single month, as more than 100 flood warnings were issued – including six warning of a risk to life. |
Torrential downpours, described as “almost biblical”, caused major transport disruption including the closure of a number of train lines, leaving thousands of commuters facing a battle to get to work. | |
Yorkshire and the Midlands were the worst affected areas with some residents, including those with young children, rescued from their homes by boat and, in one case, on someone’s back. | Yorkshire and the Midlands were the worst affected areas with some residents, including those with young children, rescued from their homes by boat and, in one case, on someone’s back. |
In Derbyshire, police pulled a woman’s body from flood water after reports of someone being swept away by a river. Emergency services used a helicopter, drone and mountain rescuers to search a stretch of the River Derwent in Darley Dale, close to Matlock, in the early hours of Friday morning. | In Derbyshire, police pulled a woman’s body from flood water after reports of someone being swept away by a river. Emergency services used a helicopter, drone and mountain rescuers to search a stretch of the River Derwent in Darley Dale, close to Matlock, in the early hours of Friday morning. |
Derbyshire police said: “The woman was reported as having been swept away by flood water in Rowsley and the body of what is believed to be the same woman was found in Darley Dale and was recovered at 10.40am.” | Derbyshire police said: “The woman was reported as having been swept away by flood water in Rowsley and the body of what is believed to be the same woman was found in Darley Dale and was recovered at 10.40am.” |
Formal identification has yet to take place but the woman’s family have been informed. | Formal identification has yet to take place but the woman’s family have been informed. |
In Sheffield, stranded people were forced to take refuge at the Meadowhall indoor shopping centre, camping overnight to shelter from the rising waters outside. | In Sheffield, stranded people were forced to take refuge at the Meadowhall indoor shopping centre, camping overnight to shelter from the rising waters outside. |
Saskia Hazelwood, 17, a student from Doncaster who was among those trapped, said: “We instantly started panicking and, when we found out there was no way of getting home, we went into Primark and all bought spare clothes and we bought food and drinks to keep us going throughout the night.” | |
Meanwhile, some of the city’s schoolchildren were forced to wade through freezing knee-high floodwater to get home on Friday. | Meanwhile, some of the city’s schoolchildren were forced to wade through freezing knee-high floodwater to get home on Friday. |
Derbyshire was hit with more rainfall in 24 hours than it normally receives in a single month. The Environment Agency’s gauge in Glossop, a market town on the edge of the Peak District, recorded 114mm of rain in the 24 hours up to 4am. Derbyshire usually receives an average of 90.7mm of rain in November. | Derbyshire was hit with more rainfall in 24 hours than it normally receives in a single month. The Environment Agency’s gauge in Glossop, a market town on the edge of the Peak District, recorded 114mm of rain in the 24 hours up to 4am. Derbyshire usually receives an average of 90.7mm of rain in November. |
At local business Glossop Caravans, staff were forced to move dozens of vehicles to stop them being submerged in flood water. Receptionist Kirstie Booth said: “I know someone came in and said it was nearly up to their knees at one point on the main road.” | At local business Glossop Caravans, staff were forced to move dozens of vehicles to stop them being submerged in flood water. Receptionist Kirstie Booth said: “I know someone came in and said it was nearly up to their knees at one point on the main road.” |
According to the Met Office, 75.6mm of rain fell in the 24 hours up to 6am on Friday – the monthly average for the whole of November in Yorkshire is 89.7mm. | According to the Met Office, 75.6mm of rain fell in the 24 hours up to 6am on Friday – the monthly average for the whole of November in Yorkshire is 89.7mm. |
South Yorkshire fire and rescue service received nearly 1,200 emergency calls in 24 hours and said it rescued more than 120 people. | South Yorkshire fire and rescue service received nearly 1,200 emergency calls in 24 hours and said it rescued more than 120 people. |
As the clean-up operation began, the weather calmed on Friday with little or no rainfall across the Midlands and north, bar the odd isolated shower. Forecasters said a weather front will move from Wales towards the east of England on Saturday but it will fizzle out by the evening. | |
A Met Office spokesman, Grahame Madge, said of the wet weather: “It may linger a little bit over the Midlands, I would be looking at Oxfordshire, Warwickshire. But we’re not expecting significant rainfall. As of the moment, there’s no plans to issue any warnings for that.” |