Flood barriers going up in Shrewsbury as Storm Imogen hits Shropshire
Flood barriers were going up in Shrewsbury this evening as Shropshire was put on flood alert again as yet another storm moved in to pummel the UK with wind and rain.
River levels in the region, including the rivers Severn and Teme, rose once more across the weekend ahead of today's arrival of Storm Imogen.
The Environment Agency has 15 flood warnings in effect for the Midlands, including Shropshire, with 46 amber flood alerts, which indicate people should be prepared.
This afternoon the Environment Agency's Dave Throup tweeted:
The agency added:
Storm Imogen is expected to bring torrential rain and up to 80mph winds, strong enough to damage trees and buildings, knock out power supplies and whip up colossal waves along coastal regions.
More than an inch of rain fell in some areas over the weekend and heavy rain was expected all day today.
In Ludlow the River Corve has flooded once again around the north entrance to town, lapping up at gardens along lower Corve Street.
Serious warnings are in place for the rivers Seven and Teme further south at Stanford Bridge, between Tenbury Wells and Kidderminster and Severn Ham, near Tewkesbury.
The Severn in Shropshire is on flood alert with the river expected to peak at about 5.5 metres at Crew Green last night, 4.9 metres at Montford Bridge this morning, 2.9 metres at the Welsh Bridge, Shrewsbury this afternoon and 3.2 metres at Bridgnorth tonight.
Flood barriers are on standby but the Frankwell car park in Shrewsbury is currently clear. Road at risk include Gravel Hill Lane in Shrewsbury, the Melverley Green to Maesbrook road and the Cae Howel to Edgerley road.
Fire crews were called out Theatr Hafren on Llanidloes Road in Newtown to deal with an unsafe structure. Firefighters had to dismantle some corrugated plastic panels and secure the remainder.
Chirk Castle the National Trust managed property stayed closed for the morning because of health and safety fears.
Staff at the National Trust-run property cited "safety reasons" due to the high winds as their reason for closure.
Flooding on the Cambrian Rail line between Welshpool and Newtown meant that Arriva Trains Wales had to run replacement buses between the two towns for a short time on Monday morning. The railway track at Dovey Junction between Aberystwyth and Machynlleth was also flooded.
Aberystwyth's coast road was closed as high tides through debris onto the land.
The osprey nest at the Dyfi Osprey Project in mid Wales is only just surviving the high flood waters of the Dyfi estuary. The centre's CCTV camera shows the water creeping ever higher up the telegraph pole that carries the enormous nest.
Environment Agency officer Dave Throup said the region's flood map was virtually blank on Saturday morning, but covered in warnings and alerts once more by that evening as the storm conditions moved in.
The south of England is expected to take the brunt of the storm, but the effects of Imogen are likely to be felt across England and Wales, with possible blizzard conditions expected in Scotland where temperatures are expected to be lower.
In Shropshire the forecast is for heavy rain throughout today, only easing off to showers late in the evening.
Temperatures are not expected to get above 7C, but will feel colder because of high winds of up to 50mph.
Met Office forecaster Mark Wilson said: "It is going to be a very stormy day on Monday with strong winds picking up during the early hours.
"Much of southern England and Wales will be affected with widespread inland winds of 60 to 70mph and coastal gusts of 80mph.
"Winds will die down after Monday although it will be windy and it is going to feel colder with the risk of some snow over high ground."
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