The devastation caused by Storm Babet as it swept across the UK has led to the tragic deaths of seven people – with hundreds more left homeless due to severe flooding.
The Met Office issued a rare red weather warning when the storm first arrived in Ireland from across the Atlantic on Monday 16th October. People were warned of “danger to life from fast-flowing or deep floodwater”.
Over the next week, unprecedented rainfall and strong winds caused the fatalities as the storm rampaged across England, Wales and Scotland.
© Anne Coatesy / Shutterstock
Record rainfall
Relentless heavy rain had disastrous consequences, with 13 areas breaking their October rainfall records.
Districts in South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, North Yorkshire, Wiltshire, Northumberland, Kincardineshire, Derbyshire and Humberside were among the worst affected, the Met Office announced.
Flooding in the UK reached unprecedented levels, with some locations suffering two months’ rainfall in just three days. The village of Waterside, on the outskirts of Perth in Scotland, was the worst hit, with residents enduring 203mm of rain.
In Angus, in eastern Scotland, residents of around 100 properties had to be rescued from their flooded homes. In some areas, the situation was so dangerous that they had to be airlifted to safety.
In Yorkshire, 149mm of rain collected at the base of the Pennines at Redmires Reservoir, near Sheffield, while more than 130mm of water submerged the city of Wakefield.
Widespread flooding
The Environment Agency warned of widespread UK flooding for more than a week, with areas of the Midlands and northern England being badly affected as Storm Babet continued on its relentless path of destruction.
In Derby, record-breaking water levels persisted over the weekend of 21st and 22nd October. Residents of properties near the River Idle, in Retford, were also evacuated to a leisure centre as roads were closed. Several rivers in the East Midlands and Yorkshire burst their banks over the weekend.
Clean-up efforts began in some areas on Monday 23rd October, but further heavy rainfall the following day hampered the operation.
More than 90 flood warnings were issued when the storm was at its peak. The final warnings in the UK were lifted in England on Wednesday 25th October.
Assessing the aftermath of the storm, the Environment Agency said 30,000 properties had required protection against the flooding, while around 1,250 people had been left homeless.
Some local authorities announced they would help householders by allowing them to have any flood-damaged furniture removed free of charge.
In Derbyshire, the usual fee for bulky waste collection was waived temporarily and dedicated crews were sent out to collect ruined furniture items across the area.
For householders across Britain whose homes were flooded, it could be a long slog getting back to normal.
Even when the floodwater has been drained from properties, they will still require extensive cleaning. For some homes, emergency furniture rental could help speed up the process of moving back in.
The flooding also caused major problems for Britain’s farmers, who warned on Wednesday that their crops were in danger of rotting.
What caused Storm Babet?
Experts described Storm Babet as being an “extraordinary piece of weather”. It was caused after a number of weather conditions across the world linked in a unique force of nature.
Scientists described how the jet stream governing the weather in Europe was forced into a different position as a result of a typhoon that hit Japan the previous week. This is believed to have stirred up the storm that struck the UK.
Some scientists have suggested climate change is also playing a part in the devastating weather conditions. They cite increased global temperatures as having made rainfall more severe in recent years.