As water levels reach record-breaking levels along the River Severn, floodwaters have been pouring into towns and threatening to breach barriers in others.
An unsettled pattern over the British Isles has brought rounds of rain to the region, including downpours from windstorms Ciara and Dennis.
As rainfall totals climbed through the month of February, flood barrier walls were set up along the River Severn that runs from central Wales through western England.
Rising water levels caused the river to pour over these barriers in Bewdley, Worcestershire, on Tuesday night after heavy rain moved through the area, according to The Telegraph.
Farther north, the strength of the floodwaters pushed back the barriers in Ironbridge, but the barriers remained intact, reported Chief Superintendent Tom Harding, of West Mercia Police in a tweet.
Officials announced an ‘immediate evacuation’ in Ironbridge as the river continued to test the flood barriers, uncertain if the structures would continue to hold back floodwaters.
While flood barriers are already struggling against the weight of the water, some points on River Severn are still forecast to rise.
As of Friday afternoon, local time, River Severn at Bewdley was at 5.48 m (17.98 feet) and is forecast to approach the highest level recorded at this location, which was 5.56 m (18.24 feet) on Nov. 2, 2000.
At Worcester, the river level reached 5.76 m (18.90 feet), breaking the previous record highest level of 5.74 m (18.83 feet) set on Feb. 13, 2014.
Hundreds of flood warnings and alerts are still in effect across the United Kingdom, meaning that flooding is expected and immediate action is required or flooding is possible and residents need to be prepared for worsening conditions.
I’m at #Ironbridge as the town holds its breath…
The flood barriers along the Wharfage have been pushed back by the force of the river.
There is a real concern that they might fail.
If they do, no-one knows what might happen to the shops and houses behind them… pic.twitter.com/81MyjMZ3lU
— Gareth Owen (@GarethITV) February 26, 2020
On Tuesday, most Network Rail lines were closed as floodwaters reached dangerous levels on the Severn Viaduct, which carries the majority of lines in and out of Shrewsbury station, according to BBC News.
Lines will remain closed until water levels recede and the safety of the viaduct has been ensured.
On Monday, the A5 between Gobowen and Gledrid was closed due to high water. Several schools across the region were closed at the start of the week as the flooding situation worsened, according to BBC News.
Businesses are remaining open as long as they can in Shrewsbury, but the town remains accessible only by foot.
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“If the barriers breach at Coleham again, as they did last week, then that will close off the town and the English Bridge,” Clive Wright of the Shropshire Council told BBC News.
A resident who lives near the English Bridge, Debbie Bradbury-Walker, and her partner Anna told the news agency that 0.08-0.1 meters (3-4 inches) of water filled the ground floor of their house.
The residents said it’s the first time water entered their home in the five years they lived there, according to the BBC.
Thousands of homes have been evacuated since Storm Dennis aggravated flooding across Wales and England during the middle of February.
Even as river levels begin to recede in the coming days, the threat of flooding will continue to loom over the area. AccuWeather meteorologists say the stormy pattern that has set up over northern Europe is forecast to continue into at least next week.
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