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Holiday homes at the Billing Aquadrome in Northampton surrounded by water. Alamy
southern england
Motorist killed by falling tree as Storm Henk batters UK with 140kph winds
Police said a man in his 50s died, and more than 300 flood warnings remain in place.
A MOTORIST HAS been killed by a falling tree as Storm Henk brought 140kph winds to the Isle of Wight and flooding and disruption across southern England and Wales.
Police said a man (50s) died while driving near Kemble in Gloucestershire.
More than 300 flood warnings remained in place on this morning, with severe flooding at holiday parks near Tenby, south-west Wales, and Northampton.
Several major roads in England were closed due to flooding with rail companies also reporting disruption.
A falling tree injured a woman in Orpington, south-east London, and others damaged properties and blocked roads across the country.
Several residents were evacuated from houseboats and caravans at Billing Aquadrome, close to the River Nene near Northampton, due to flooding caused by Storm Henk.
Eddie Hancock, a resident who lives around two miles away, said high water levels were “scary” and he had never seen it so high in around 30 years of living in the area:
Our house is pretty much OK as we’re further over, we’re up a hill, but it’s drastic. I have never, ever seen emergency services over there.
“It’s worrying. I feel sorry for the poor people on Billing Aquadrome. It’s mad, I wouldn’t want to be over there. It has never, ever been this bad. I thought I would come down and have a look and it is bad. It’s scary.”
A severe flood warning, meaning significant risk to life, was put in place but has since been downgraded.
Storm Henk brought gusts of 94mph (151kph) at Needles on the Isle of Wight while Exeter Airport saw winds of 81mph (130kph).
Several rail routes remained disrupted due to flooding, but some lines have reopened.
The UK Met Office issued a further yellow warning for heavy rain across southern England from 12pm on Thursday to 3am on Friday.
Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had received 140 flood-related calls in the last 24 hours while Leicestershire Police said a large number of homes were affected by flooding in Loughborough.
The weather in Ireland looks set to feature heavy showers over the coming days, with a chance of hail, lightning and spot flooding in Munster today.
Met Éireann forecasts ‘clear spells and well scattered showers, most frequent across the West and Northwest’ overnight with an added wind chill factor compared and frost overnight in sheltered areas.
Thursday is expected to be a “day of sunshine and scattered heavy showers”, with a chance of lightning, hail, and spot flooding in Atlantic counties, but “becoming drier and more settled as we head into the weekend”.
Additional reporting by Nicky Ryan
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