London – People have been evacuated from a “large number” of homes in South Wales, as Storm Christoph brought widespread flooding across England and Wales.
About 2 000 homes in the Didsbury and Northenden areas of Manchester, Ruthin and Bangor-on-Dee, North Wales, and Maghull, Merseyside, were also affected overnight.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned of “more to come” with further heavy rain expected next week.
People have been told COVID-19 rules let them leave their homes in an emergency.
A large number of properties are reported have been evacuated due to flooding in Skewen, near Neath, in West Glamorgan.
Emergency services are at the scene and Neath Port Talbot Council is urging members of the public to avoid the area.
Johnson visited Didsbury on Thursday morning to see the flood response there, as the severe flood warning was stood down and people evacuated earlier were allowed to return.
He said: “There will be more to come, there will be further rain next week, so it is vital that people who are in potentially affected areas follow the advice.”
He said flooding had a “huge psychological, emotional and financial cost” for people and said the government was investing £5.2 billion in flood defences over six years.
Heavy rain led to multiple major incidents and flood alerts being declared across England and Wales.
Many rivers are at “dangerously high levels”, the Environment Agency said.
Pumps and sandbags had to be brought in to protect supplies of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine being held in a warehouse in Wrexham, north-east Wales, which was threatened by floods. (BBC)
