Hundreds of Storm Babet victims told they 'may never go home' after 5ft floods

24 October 2023 , 10:11

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Flood damage in Catcliffe, where residents began to return home after Storm Babet on Monday (Image: PA)

Hundreds of people who had their houses flooded during Storm Babet may never be able to go back, it is feared.

Devastated residents have begun to return to their homes this week after downpours from the storm created chaos across the UK, with entire towns forced to evacuate and others left stranded. Nine people are understood have died, with one victim a housebound grandmother who tragically died as she tried to flee her flooded home.

In Rotherham, one mum described being rowed to safety as the water around her rose to 5 to 6ft deep. She broke down in tears as she arrived home on Monday to find much of the family home ruined, and said her family has been left with "just the clothes we were wearing".

Concern is growing that areas devastated by Storm Babet will experience yet more flooding on Tuesday (PA)

The damage to properties in the hardest-hit areas of Scotland is thought to be so severe that some residents may never be able to return home. A huge clean-up operation has continued in the town of Brechin, where emergency workers were forced last week to rescue residents from their homes in boats as huge downpours turned roads into raging torrents. Local Conservative councillor Gavin Nicol told the Sun: "The flooding will take months and years to resolve. Some residents will be out for months, if not permanently."

Inca Maguire, 20, watched as water rushed into the home she had worked to buy and renovate in Brechin, with the torrent eventually smashing through the windows and not stopping until it reached almost the top of her front door. The former youth Olympics gold medallist said her own efforts to protect her property proved helpless, while local multi-million-pound flood defences failed spectacularly amid a rare Red 'danger to life' warning. Inca revealed to the Daily Record that she had received "no support or guidance at all" over the future of her property, a comment echoed by residents in South Yorkshire who told the Mirror they had been "left on our own".

Gales, snow and rain to batter country today with 80mph wind gusts

Concern is also growing that areas devastated by Storm Babet will experience yet more flooding, as nearly half a month's rain is expected on Tuesday. A yellow weather warning is in place until 4pm today for several areas, including South Yorkshire, East Yorkshire, parts of Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. Communities in Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire, in particular, are still recovering from flooding caused by Storm Babet. Up to 50mm of rain is expected as the fresh band of low pressure moves in from the east, Met Office forecasters said. The service says "further impacts from flooding are possible".

Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas