Storm Dennis: Man dies after falling in river

A man has died after falling into the River Tawe in South Wales as three major incidents have been declared.

“A male has fallen into the river at #Ystradgynlais at approximately 10am this morning and has sadly be found deceased further along the river in the Tebanos area. If you witnessed this incident please can you give us a call on 101,” Dyfed Powys Police posted on Twitter.

Gwent Police said that residents of Skenfrith, Monmouthshire, were being advised to evacuate due to the flooding caused by Storm Dennis

A multi-agency response has been triggered as rescuers battle to get to victims by helicopter and boat.

Major incidents have also been declared in Hereford and Worcester.

Storm Dennis has also meant the Environment Agency declared the highest number of flood warnings and alerts on a single day in England.

There were 594 alerts in place at 12pm, including four severe warnings in England and widespread amber alerts from the Met Office. There are also two severe flooding alerts in Wales.

Across the country:

• Three severe flood warnings are in place in South Wales, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, as well as an amber rain warning from the Met Office.
• In England, four severe flood warnings remain in place around the River Teme in Worcestershire, as well as hundreds more alerts across the country.
• In Scotland, a number of alerts and warnings have been removed and a warning for high winds has now been issued by the Met Office.
• In Northern Ireland, high winds threaten to batter the country later on, before Storm Dennis moves north to the area.

Gwent Police said that residents of Skenfrith, Monmouthshire, were being advised to evacuate due to the flooding.

At Nantgarw near Cardiff rescuers brought people from their homes in boats after the river Taff burst its banks. A helicopter was seen winching someone clear of floodwater at Crickhowell on the river Usk.

The storm has left roads and railway lines underwater, as it batters large parts of the UK with heavy rains and strong winds.

Pictures show roads and pathways submerged by the flooding, while some buildings appear to be underwater, as the storm takes hold of the area.

Residents Kevin and Susanna said the floodwaters from the River Taff opposite their home quickly rose above their floodgate, submerging their home.

Kevin told Sky News: “Everything was floating about including the settee. It rises very quickly and can go to 6ft in the matter of an hour – that’s how quick it can go – but it can drop just as fast though.”

A man who went to help the couple said: “I got a call at 2 o clock this morning saying I need you down here to lend a hand. We were trying to pail some water because it was starting to come over the wall… we were trying to get as much as we could out.

“All of a sudden it came over the wall and we had about an hour and it was 5ft.”

Across 24 hours in South Wales, 105mm of rain fell, while gales of up to 91mph were recorded in the area.

People across the UK are being warned to prepare for the weather and be willing to change plans at the last minute as a result of Storm Dennis.

The whole of Scotland is covered by a yellow warning, with more severe alerts no longer in force as the storm continues to move.

Railway lines are underwater, causing widespread disruption on the transport network. Services in South Wales have been suspended, while lines in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire have also been closed because of the flooding.

Roads have also been hit with the M54 motorway westbound being closed at Telford, as well as roads in South Yorkshire and the East Midlands.

A number of easyJet flights appear to have been cancelled because of the weather as disruption in the skies continues because of the storm.

Storm Dennis will continue to bring heavy winds and rain to parts of the country on Sunday, with forecasters warning that a reprieve could be some time away.

(c) Sky News 2020: Storm Dennis: Man dies after falling in river