Summary

  • Updates on Friday 15 November

  1. Our live coverage across the weekpublished at 18:59 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    Andy Giddings
    BBC News

    We'll be back with the news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 on Monday.

  2. Drier weather forecast for the next few dayspublished at 18:51 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    Shefali Oza
    BBC Midlands Today

    After what's been a wet week for much of the West Midlands, a better outlook for the weekend and the start of next week:

    Media caption,

    Shefali Oza

    Keep up-to-date with the weather forecast for your area at any other time by going to the BBC Weather website.

  3. Behind the scenes at floods control roompublished at 18:42 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    Here's a peak behind the scenes in the control room at Evesham's fire station, where the emergency services and the Environment Agency are planning their response to the flooding... fuelled by biscuits donated by a local supermarket.

    As well as rescues, monitoring river levels and putting up flood defences, they've been talking to people in affected homes and businesses - and the police and fire service have been out to visit some of those most vulnerable.

    Control roomImage source, Environment Agency
    Control roomImage source, Environment Agency

    At the end of yesterday, Dave Throup from the Environment Agency tweeted "What a day!"

  4. Flood water continues to rise as darkness fallspublished at 18:30 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    The River Severn is still rising in Worcester and is expected to go up by another 30cm before it peaks.

    Worcester

    And this is the scene in Evesham where Dave Throup from the Environment Agency prepares to give the latest update on the flooding.

    EveshamImage source, Dave Throup
  5. Firefighters rescue 100 people from floodwaterpublished at 18:21 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    A fire chief in Worcestershire says his crews have had a "very busy" 24 hours.

    Read More
  6. In pictures: Stratford prepares for river's peakpublished at 18:10 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    The river in Stratford-upon-Avon is expected to peak at about 19:30, with flood defences set up and ready to protect the town.

    Stratford
    Stratford

    It's the first time the defences have been put up by the Environment Agency in a flood situation.

    Stratford
    Stratford
  7. Watch: Part of town 'turned into lake'published at 17:54 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    One of the places worst hit by flooding this week looks to be Evesham, in Worcestershire.

    This video shows an area in the town known as Waterside, which, with the River Avon swollen beyond its banks, has turned into a lake:

    Media caption,

    Flooding in Evesham

  8. Homes prepare for flooding to get worsepublished at 17:46 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    River levels in Worcester are forecast to carry on rising, external until tomorrow afternoon, with a peak similar to the floods in 2014.

    These homes have fitted their own flood gates and pumps.

    Flooded homes

    Once the river has peaked, the Environment Agency said it was expected to remain high for a number of days.

  9. 'No threat to safety' in Eveshampublished at 17:38 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    There is no "immediate or expected" threat to the safety of residents in Evesham, the fire service has said.

    Evesham

    The needs of residents of 15 properties in the town that are at risk of flooding are being assessed, it added.

    Evesham

    Flood barriers are up and properties around the Greyfriars Bridge, which are at higher risk, are being monitored, the fire service says.

    Area Commander Mark Preece said: “Surface water flooding on the highways has closed more than 100 roads in Worcestershire and many in Herefordshire and is expected to remain a problem over the weekend."

  10. Events cancelled due to floodspublished at 17:26 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    These are just another couple of events that have been called off this weekend due to the flooding.

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  11. Roads and footpaths will remain 'dangerous'published at 17:14 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    Although flood levels are expected to fall over the next 24 hours we're being warned that roads and footpaths will remain dangerous.

    The Environment Agency said roads would be dangerous because of mud and gravel left behind and footpaths near rivers will be slippery, even when the water has gone.

    Footpath

    Homes and businesses that have been flooded could be contaminated by oil, silt and sewage and the Environment Agency has advice on how to safely clean up afterwards., external

  12. Flood defence lake keeps water away from homespublished at 17:07 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    This is an aerial shot of the Kidderminster flood defence scheme, which was set up to store up water and keep it away from the town.

    The Environment Agency has a flood alert in place for the town and said there was some flooding affecting farmland and the area around the River Stour., external

    Flood defenceImage source, Environment Agency
  13. Floodwater being washed into homespublished at 16:55 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    The old bridge in Clun is closed, because of the high river levels, but people have been moving the signs and vehicles are still driving over it.

    People living nearby have complained that means floodwater is being washed into their homes.

    Media caption,

    The River Clun is running high around the old bridge in Clun

  14. More than 100 people rescued from cars and propertiespublished at 16:39 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    A fire chief in Worcestershire said has said the force has had a "very busy" 24 hours.

    Group commander George Marshall from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said crews had rescued more than 100 people, "predominantly from cars but others from properties".

    Group commander Steve Marshall

    "We all feel a bit silly when these things happen but mistakes do happen and we fully understand that, and ultimately they're the ones that have got to pick up the bill.

    "The message from the fire service is please don't drive into floodwater, but if you do we're there to rescue you.

    "We had to over-staff our control room in order to deal with the volume of calls."

    "Surface water is now feeding into rivers which are now overflowing, and we're getting more flooding into properties."

  15. Watch: River levels keep risingpublished at 16:27 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    Phil Mackie
    Midlands correspondent, BBC News

    River levels have continued to rise today in Worcestershire as residents battle through flood water.

    Media caption,

    River levels keep rising in Worcestershire.

    Fire crews have rescued people trapped by flooding after nearly two inches (40mm) of rain fell.

    The Environment Agency says it could take until Sunday before all the rivers reach their peak.

  16. Will the weekend bring more wet weather?published at 16:13 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    Sara Blizzard
    BBC Weather

    It will be a cloudy night with some rain spreading in from the east and lows of 4C (39F).

    Media caption,

    Latest weather for the West Midlands

  17. Watch: Park flooded by River Avonpublished at 16:04 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

    It's not just in Stratford-upon-Avon where the flooded River Avon's burst its banks.

    Parts of Myton Fields, Warwick have also been left submerged by the waterway:

    Media caption,

    Flooding in Myton Fields, Warwick

  18. People reminded not to park in flooded car parkpublished at 15:42 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    People are being reminded not to park in Worcester's Pitchford car park.

    It looks like that should be obvious, because it's under water, but Worcester City Council isn't taking any chances and is pointing out the River Severn isn't expected to peak there until the weekend.

    Pitchford car parkImage source, Worcester City Council
    Pitchford car parkImage source, Worcester City Council
  19. 'I've got barriers and pumps, my nerves are just on edge'published at 15:31 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    Tom Edwards
    Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

    Water has reached Waterside in Evesham, threatening nearby homes.

    One resident, who has lived here for eight years, told me this is the second time in two weeks the nearby land has flooded.

    Evesham

    "I've got pumps and I've got barriers, but I think that maybe more could be done to prevent the river flooding, like dredging, but I don't know if that's possible," they said.

    "I am fully defended, I've got barriers," she added, "it's just my nerves are a bit on edge today."

    Evesham
  20. Watch: Fladbury flooded by River Avonpublished at 15:16 Greenwich Mean Time 15 November 2019

    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    The River Avon's causing flooding problems in Warwickshire and Worcestershire as this video from Instagram user @bosys_d3300 shows, taken in Fladbury:

    Media caption,

    Flooding in Fladbury