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Ironbridge flooding: Emergency evacuation as defences 'overwhelmed' Ironbridge flooding: Emergency evacuation as defences 'overwhelmed'
(about 2 hours later)
An emergency evacuation is taking place as rising waters on the River Severn "overwhelmed" a town's flood defences. An emergency evacuation took place as rising waters on the River Severn "overwhelmed" a town's flood defences.
A kink in the barriers at Ironbridge, Shropshire, meant water seeped underneath, resulting in police evacuating part of the town. Buckled barriers at Ironbridge, Shropshire, meant water seeped underneath, resulting in police evacuating part of the town.
West Mercia Police said the defences "appear to be buckling", adding "virtually everyone" in the Wharfage area had agreed to leave. West Mercia Police, which oversaw the evacuation, said "virtually everyone" in the Wharfage area had agreed to leave.
Residents were earlier evacuated from their homes in Bewdley, Worcestershire.Residents were earlier evacuated from their homes in Bewdley, Worcestershire.
A severe flood warning for the River Severn has been issued for Ironbridge following days of heavy rain. There, water came over the top of some of the town's flood defences.
However, a severe warning for the river at Shrewsbury was removed on Wednesday afternoon. The barriers in both areas have been trying to keep a swollen River Severn from residents' doors.
A flood warning remains in place, meaning properties remain at risk, and river levels are expected to remain high into the weekend. A risk-to-life flood warning remains for the Severn in Ironbridge following days of heavy rain, although the same severe warning for neighbouring Shrewsbury has been downgraded as river levels fall in the town.
Flooding has also seen: Elsewhere, flooding has also seen:
Villagers in Snaith, East Yorkshire, have criticised authorities for failing to give them enough time to save their possessions from flood waters. Deputy chief constable Julian Moss, from the West Merica force, said on Wednesday evening that "virtually all" residents who had previously chosen to stay in their properties in Ironbridge had now left.
Deputy Chief Constable Julian Moss said on Wednesday evening officers were still in the process of evacuating properties along the Wharfage. About 35 homes are believed to have been evacuated in the Wharfage.
He said "virtually all" residents who had previously chosen to stay in their properties in Ironbridge, where a severe flood warning remains in place, have now left. The force said it would ensure displaced residents were "put up" and officers would remain in the area throughout the night and over the coming days.
He added the multi-agency response is set to continue for the next 10 days while flood waters are "likely" to be topped up during additional rainfall expected over the weekend. Earlier, Chris Bainger from the Environment Agency (EA) said barriers had become "ineffective", with water "getting underneath".
"There is a bit of water that's getting underneath and the barriers have become ineffective," Chris Bainger, from the Environment Agency (EA) said. Structural engineers were onsite, police said, but in the meantime the force had taken "the practical worst case scenario" in ordering an emergency evacuation.
"At the moment, the pumps are actually dealing with it but over time that level is going to rise, hopefully gradually, behind there and it's going to get up to that 1.8m level." A drone has been used to survey a 500m section of the temporary flood defence after residents reported hearing a loud bang when a barrier was shunted by the fast-flowing Severn.
Structural engineers are onsite, police said, but in the meantime they have taken "the practical worst case scenario" in ordering an emergency evacuation. Mark Sitton-Kent, director of operations for the EA, said: "That movement of it backwards caused it to clatter against the kerbstones behind, with a loud bang that I think everybody heard.
The force would ensure residents were "put up" and officers would be in the area through the night and over the coming days.
In Ironbridge, 36 properties have been evacuated, while one or two residents have remained in their homes.
A drone has been used to survey a 500m section of the temporary flood defence in the town after residents reported hearing a loud bang when a barrier was shunted into a kerbstone by the fast-flowing Severn.
The fence-like barrier shifted overnight and was the cause of an evacuation operation after further movement on Wednesday afternoon.
Mark Sitton-Kent, director of operations for the EA, said: "That movement of it backwards caused it to clatter against the kerbstones behind with a loud bang that I think everybody heard.
"That alarmed residents and caused a multi-agency response.""That alarmed residents and caused a multi-agency response."
He said it is not safe to go behind the barrier, so the drone is being used, with the footage being fed into the command centre live. He added: "Over the next 24/48 hours as the river level here drops, we will move in and do some work to shore up the area and make sure [the barrier] stays put."
"Over the next 24/48 hours as the river level here drops, we will move in and do some work to shore up the area and make sure it stays put," Mr Sitton-Kent said. Councillor Shaun Davies, leader of Telford and Wrekin Council, said people should leave their homes and "stay away" from Ironbridge.
Councillor Shaun Davies, the leader of Telford and Wrekin Council, said people should leave their homes and "stay away" from Ironbridge.
"This is a developing situation but it has significantly developed and increased in terms of its dangerousness with regards to the barriers collapsing.""This is a developing situation but it has significantly developed and increased in terms of its dangerousness with regards to the barriers collapsing."
Ironbridge Gorge was declared a World Heritage site in 1986 to recognise its importance as a pioneering part of the Industrial Revolution. Ironbridge Gorge was one of the first UK locations to be given World Heritage status in 1986, which recognised its importance as a pioneering part of the Industrial Revolution.
It was one of the first locations to be given the status in the UK. The main flood defences in Bewdley had been holding firm but just before midnight on Tuesday, 38 properties in the Beales Corner area of town were either flooded or at risk as water came over the top of barriers.
Just before midnight on Tuesday, 38 properties in Beales Corner, Bewdley, either flooded or were at risk. Many people were rescued, but about 12 people remain in their homes. Many people have been rescued, but about 12 people remain in their homes.
Sally Yardley, 64, left her ground floor flat which overlooks the river.Sally Yardley, 64, left her ground floor flat which overlooks the river.
"The water was rising really quickly... I don't think we ever predicted it would be this bad," she said."The water was rising really quickly... I don't think we ever predicted it would be this bad," she said.
A resident in Bewdley, Adrian Guest, said it had been on an "anxious" day. Another Bewdley resident, Adrian Guest, said it had been an "anxious" day.
"There have been bizarre sightings of sofas and fridges floating by," the 53-year-old said. "There have been bizarre sightings of sofas and fridges floating by," the 53-year-old said. "People gathered in groups worried about the situation upriver at Ironbridge where the stress loads on their barriers could see them collapse at any moment."
"People gathered in groups worried about the situation upriver at Ironbridge where the stress loads on their barriers could see them collapse at any moment."
Dave Throup, EA manager for Herefordshire and Worcestershire, said: "The river levels are exceptionally high here at Bewdley and they haven't stopped yet.Dave Throup, EA manager for Herefordshire and Worcestershire, said: "The river levels are exceptionally high here at Bewdley and they haven't stopped yet.
"The river is still rising at a much slower rate and we're expecting a peak here probably this afternoon and then that's working its way down the catchment to Worcester.""The river is still rising at a much slower rate and we're expecting a peak here probably this afternoon and then that's working its way down the catchment to Worcester."
The river's peak is now heading downstream towards Worcester, where some homes have been flooded for 10 days in the wake of Storm Dennis. In Worcester, some homes have been flooded for 10 days in the wake of Storm Dennis.
The barriers near Mrs Yardley's home in Beales Corner which breached are not the main defences in the town. These remain in place in Severnside, although people are advised to avoid the area. Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service has been going house-to-house in Bewdley with a dinghy to help people from their homes.
Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service has been going house-to-house in the area with a dinghy and helping people from their homes. Among them was Justin Leitch who has lived at his property since August.
It is not yet clear whether the flood levels will top Bewdley's highest ever recorded levels in 2000, however water is expected to keep rising throughout the day, by up to 20cm.
Justin Leitch was rescued on a dinghy from his home in Bewdley, where he has lived since August.
"It's unprecedented what's happened over the last week, 10 days, what can you do? People are trying their best," he said."It's unprecedented what's happened over the last week, 10 days, what can you do? People are trying their best," he said.
Sarah, a mum-of-four who also lives in Beales Corner, said her family will be staying put despite a foot of water in her cellar. Sarah, a mum-of-four who also lives in Beales Corner, said her family would be staying put despite a foot of water in her cellar.
"If I thought there was any real danger we would go but at the moment we're staying put." "If I thought there was any real danger we would go."
BBC Hereford and Worcester's James Pearson said the flood barriers overtopped last night, starting as a trickle then turning into a torrent. BBC Hereford and Worcester's James Pearson said overtopping at Bewdley started as a trickle then turning into a torrent.
He said the flood water was about the same level as the river and it had not flooded while the temporary barriers were there.He said the flood water was about the same level as the river and it had not flooded while the temporary barriers were there.
The levels were 14cm off the all-time high from 2000 and they were expected to keep rising steadily throughout the day to about that level, he added. The levels were 14cm off the all-time high from 2000 and they were expected to keep rising steadily throughout the day, he added.
River Severn levels are expected to remain high over the next few days due to "unsettled" weather, the EA said, adding it was "closely monitoring the situation".River Severn levels are expected to remain high over the next few days due to "unsettled" weather, the EA said, adding it was "closely monitoring the situation".
At Prime Minister's Questions earlier, Boris Johnson was criticised for not visiting the areas affected by flooding. At Prime Minister's Questions earlier, Boris Johnson was criticised for not visiting the flood-hit areas.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the government "refuses to acknowledge the scale of the problem" accusing Mr Johnson of being a "part time prime minister" who is only "keen to pose for cameras during an election".Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the government "refuses to acknowledge the scale of the problem" accusing Mr Johnson of being a "part time prime minister" who is only "keen to pose for cameras during an election".
The prime minister said he was "very proud of the response the government has mounted" to the floods. Mr Johnson said he was "very proud of the response the Government has mounted" to the floods.
'Weeks of chaos'
Tim Page, BBC Radio Shropshire
It's more than a fortnight since Storm Ciara caused damage along the Ironbridge Gorge, and started the rise in river levels which has culminated in this week's flooding.
And it's the second time in a week that residents on The Wharfage, the street fronting on to the Severn in the centre of Ironbridge, have been told to leave their homes.
The sheer weight of the water behind the barriers has finally made its way through, bringing back memories of floods from the last century.
Telford and Wrekin Council had raised the idea of installing more permanent barriers and protecting larger stretches on both sides of the gorge.
But the logistics of doing so - and the challenges of matching the World Heritage Site's environment - would be significant.
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Are you being evacuated from Ironbridge or the surrounding areas? If you are able to share your experiences email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Are you being evacuated from Ironbridge or the surrounding areas? If you are able to share your experiences email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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