Storm Claudia causes flooding in England

Photo: depositphotos

The unexpectedly strong passage of Storm Claudia is bringing enormous rainfall to parts of western Europe, resulting in flash flooding in many places. On Saturday, the storm hit England and parts of Wales, trapping some residents in the town of Monmouth in Wales. By Sunday morning, the situation was already serious, with most of the town under water as the River Monnow burst its banks. In total, over forty flood warnings were in place across England.

Over 120mm of rain fell in south-east Wales overnight and parts of England faced flooding from Storm Claudia. Strong gusty winds caused extensive damage and downed trees. Some rail services were also affected by the storm as fallen trees blocked sections of track.

Monmouth town centre, near the English border, is located downstream from the mouth of the River Monnow into the River Wye, the country's fourth largest. Meteorologists expect the UK to experience low temperatures, which could fall to minus seven degrees Celsius, as Storm Claudia subsides.

In Portugal, Storm Claudia included a tornado that hit Albufeira in the Algarve. Strong winds battered Portugal until the end of last week. The bad weather hit southern Portugal after hitting the north on Saturday morning, causing flooding in Santa Maria da Feira and Vila do Conde. The civil protection issued an orange alert for the district of Braga on Saturday. A yellow alert remains in place for the districts of Viana do Castelo, Porto, Viseu, Aveiro, Coimbra, Portalegre, Santarém and Lisbon.

Source: Euronews, Editorial Weathersunshine.com