Summary

  • Man dies after being swept away in fast-flowing water

  • The man was caught in water from a brook near Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire, that had breached a road

  • Bewdley flooded as it became too dangerous to install defences, the Environment Agency confirms

  • A woman was rescued after being swept 100m downstream when she got out of her car in a Staffordshire ford

  • Many roads are impassable because of flooding and there is major rail disruption

  • More than a dozen schools were closed, mainly in Worcestershire

  1. Flood warnings issuedpublished at 09:58 British Summer Time 20 October 2023

    Louise Hancock
    BBC Radio WM

    The Environment Agency has now issued eight flood warnings for Birmingham and the Black Country after heavy rain.

    They're at River Rea at Stirchley, River Rea at Edgbaston, The Bourn at Bournville, Bourn Brook at Selly Oak, River Tame at Bescot and Ray Hall Water Works, Waterhead Brook at Bushbury and at Illey Brook in Halesowen.

  2. Rise in 999 calls related to floodingpublished at 09:49 British Summer Time 20 October 2023

    West Mercia Police says it is starting to receive an increase in 999 calls related to flooding.

    The force urged people to please only call 999 in an emergency.

    Members of the public can go to a prepare for flooding page on the gov.uk website, external.

    To report a risk to life call 999 and to report a blocked road, call the local council, police added.

  3. City centre roads affectedpublished at 09:40 British Summer Time 20 October 2023

    Alice Cullinane
    Reporting from Birmingham

    Navigation Street

    These images shows water on the road on Navigation Street in Birmingham city centre, below the A38.

    The Town Hall car park is in the background on the first photo.

    Navigation Street
  4. Heavy rain leads to flash flooding on B-roadspublished at 09:36 British Summer Time 20 October 2023

    Flooding

    This was the scene near Telford on the B5062 between Shawbirch and Roden this morning, BBC Radio Shropshire presenter Paul Shuttleworth said.

  5. A49 blocked in south Shropshirepublished at 09:26 British Summer Time 20 October 2023

    We're hearing reports that the A49 is impassable in Church Stretton in Shropshire.

    It's a busy road and we'll bring you more on that when we can.

  6. Schools closed in Worcestershirepublished at 09:26 British Summer Time 20 October 2023

    At least five schools in Worcestershire have been closed due to flooding:

    • Bayton CE Primary School, in Bewdley
    • Birchensale Middle School, in Redditch
    • Crowle CE First School, in Pershore
    • Feckenham CE First School, in Redditch
    • Himbleton CE First School, in Pershore

    In Bewdley, Worcestershire County Council says two of the three roads to the school are impassable.

  7. Floods latestpublished at 09:17 British Summer Time 20 October 2023

    Storm Babet has arrived in the West Midlands.

    Schools and roads have been closed. Follow our live coverage for the latest on floods disruption.