Torrential rain to continue in parts of country bringing threat of more flooding

Yellow weather warnings have been issued for communities in southern England as residents in the North recover from Storm Babet.

Debris and floodwater in allotments in Retford, Nottinghamshire (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire)

Torrential rain set to batter parts of the country overnight on Tuesday could bring more flooding as communities recover from Storm Babet, forecasters say.

At least seven people are now thought to have died in the “unprecedented” weather event, while hundreds were forced to flee their homes in Scotland and north-east England.

There was little respite on Tuesday as the Met Office issued yellow weather warnings for rain in areas hit by flooding, including the East Midlands and Yorkshire, until 4pm.

In the south and south-east of England, an overnight yellow weather warning will be in place until 10am on Wednesday, with the Met Office warning that flooding and disruption is “likely”.

A total of 13 areas broke their daily rainfall records for October last week, including sites in Suffolk, South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Wiltshire, Kincardineshire, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Northumberland, Derbyshire and Humberside, the Met Office said

Reports of floods to the Environment Agency (EA) reached the highest level since 2015/16 at the peak of Storm Babet, environment minister Rebecca Pow told the Commons on Monday.

The EA issued more than 300 flood warnings and received more than 1,800 calls to its flood line, she said.

Hundreds of people have been left homeless in the wake of Storm Babet, with about 1,250 properties in England flooded, according to the EA.

Some of those affected in Retford, Nottinghamshire, were angered by a “lack of action” to protect their homes, with one resident describing a visit by the Environment Secretary Therese Coffey on Monday as an attempt to “polish her halo”.

The death toll rose on Monday as police recovered the body of a man after reports that a person was trapped in a vehicle in floodwater near Marykirk, Aberdeenshire, on Friday.

He was named by Police Scotland on Tuesday as Peter Pelling, from Arbroath. His family described him as a “very kind, loyal and hardworking man”.

On Saturday, 83-year-old Maureen Gilbert was found dead in her flooded home in Tapton Terrace, Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

Mrs Gilbert’s neighbours said 5ft of water had engulfed the inside of their properties “within minutes” of the River Rother bursting its banks.

Wendy Taylor, 57, died after being swept into the Water of Lee, Glen Esk, on Thursday.

Mrs Taylor, who was described as “the beloved wife, best friend and soulmate in life to George, mother to James, Sally and Susanna and Granny to India and George”, was said to be “a ray of sunshine for everyone who was fortunate enough to know her” in a tribute issued through Police Scotland.

Cheryl Woods, 61, and her daughter Sarha Smith, 40, from Caerphilly, South Wales, died after a five-vehicle crash on the M4 on Friday which is believed to have been weather-related.

Four cars and an HGV were involved in the crash on the eastbound carriageway between junction 17 for Chippenham and junction 18 for Bath.

A 56-year-old driver, John Gillan, died when a tree fell on his van near Forfar in Angus on Thursday and a man in his 60s died after getting caught in fast-flowing floodwater in the town of Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire, on Friday.

Mr Gillan’s family said he was a loving husband, father, grandfather and son.