Flood warnings as wind and rain hit England and Wales
Baku, April 30 (AZERTAC). Strong winds and heavy rain have brought down trees and power lines across England and Wales.
The Environment Agency has issued warnings of localised flooding in the South West, Midlands, North East and East of England.
Thousands of homes in south Wales, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Somerset have been left without electricity.
And a police officer was seriously injured when a tree fell on the van he was driving in Hampshire.
The heavy rain comes as many areas are currently in a state of drought following two unusually dry winters.
Forecasters say an area of heavy rain and strong winds has been spreading northwards across the southern half of the UK, with more than 38mm (1.5ins) of rain falling in some places overnight.
The Met Office said: "The public should be aware that this may lead to some local flooding given the recent wet conditions, and that north-easterly winds will exceed 50-60 mph in some locations, bringing the risk of falling trees."
It has now lifted an amber "be prepared" warning for the River Severn and its tributaries in Shropshire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire.
The Environment Agency (EA) has more than 25 flood warnings in place on rivers including the Wid in Essex; the Ouzel at Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire; the Derwent in East Yorkshire, and the River Stour in Warwickshire.
Most are for the South West, and include several rivers such as the Yarty at Axminster; the Torridge at Bideford, and the Otter at Honiton, in Devon, and the sections of the Brue and Doniford Stream in Somerset.
Among those areas also subject to warnings were parts of the Ouse at York, where the river flooded footpaths following torrential rain on Thursday. The Ouse is currently 9ft 2in (2.8m) above normal summer levels, the EA said.
A flood warning also relates to riverside properties in Chelmsford, and the area around the Essex County Cricket Ground in the city.
There are more than 170 alerts in place, warning of possible flooding in areas throughout England and Wales, except for the North West and Cumbria.
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