UK weather: Cold warning sparks fears of ‘increased risk of death’ as temperatures to plunge after Storm Henk kills two
AS temperatures plunge in the wake of Storm Henk, a cold weather warning has sparked fears.
Yesterday it was revealed the storm had claimed its second victim – after a woman and man were killed in separate crashes on Tuesday.
But a cold warning has also sparked concerns that there could be an increased chance of death amid the chilly weather.
A yellow cold weather alert covers much of the UK, excluding Wales and Scotland.
The Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said there was an “increased risk of mortality across the population”.
The alert is in place from tomorrow until midday on Tuesday.
It comes after forecasters warned more rain was on the way – while more than 300 flood warnings remain in place across the UK.
It was also revealed a London party boat sunk after the storm deluge forced Brits to evacuate across the country.
The Bar & Co boat, which acts as a floating bar, restaurant and nightclub, sunk in the River Thames at 12.30pm on Thursday.
A spokesperson for the boat, which was moored at Temple Pier, said: “Likely it sunk because of weather conditions.”
Residents were also evacuated from homes after flooding in Nottinghamshire led to a major incident being declared.
The River Trent has risen to near-record levels following Storm Henk yesterday, with more wet weather expected.
This morning more than 300 flood warnings, where flooding is expected, remain in place across England, while almost 300 flood alerts, where flooding is possible, are also in place.
Meanwhile, some residents in Radcliffe-on-Trent have had to be evacuated from their homes near the river’s edge.
Nottinghamshire County Council told homeowners near the waterway to expect flooding.
Councillor Roger Upton said he had never seen flooding so bad since moving to the area in the 1970s.
He said: “I’ve lived in Radcliffe since 1975, and I’ve regularly come down here over the years and seen various floodings.
“It was bad in 1977, and it was bad in 2000, and in my opinion, this is the worst I’ve seen in those years.”
Residents were urged not to travel through floodwater, to stay away from swollen waterways and to prepare for the event of evacuation, with multiple roads closed in the county.
Several homes on the river’s edge have flooded, with residents evacuated on Thursday and power shut off.
‘EVERYONE’S DEVASTATED’
Resident Ellen Walker said: “The saddest part about it is, you know they are suffering, but there’s nothing you can do.
“If the flood comes in, it’s going to come in and there’s no way anybody can stop it.
“It’s nature but then again, they should not have been built there.”
Elsewhere, a dad yesterday told The Sun how he and his family were forced upstairs with their seven-month-old baby as floodwaters lapped at their door.
Jacob Davidge, 27, said he, his wife Shompa, their baby Isaiah and family watched on in fear as the water continued rising at their Loughborough home in the middle of the night.
The dad said they frantically moved their possessions from the bottom story of their home, to the top, in the hopes of saving them.
Jacob said even today, almost two days on, the family is still waiting for the floodwaters to leave the home.
He told The Sun: “We were grabbing everything and anything really.
“At 3am it was at our knees. We weren’t sure the height the water would reach.
“It was quite hard to gauge – we ended up using the letterbox as a gauge.”
Jacob, who is trying to raise money through GoFundMe to replace the lost possessions, added: “It’s bittersweet. Everyone’s devastated that the home’s ruined.
“Also, we’re lucky we’re safe and OK.”