A major incident has been declared in South Wales following severe and widespread flooding, while a separate cold weather alert has been issued for five regions of England, warning of potential strain on health services.
Large-Scale Flooding in Monmouth
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service declared the incident in Monmouth at around 1.30am on Saturday, 15th November 2025. Emergency services have been carrying out rescues, evacuations, and welfare checks throughout the night and into the day.
Matt Jones, the fire service's area manager, stated: "This is a large-scale incident, and our crews and partners have been working tirelessly." He urged the public to avoid the Monmouth area completely to allow emergency services clear access to those in need.
As of 6am, Natural Resources Wales had issued four severe flood warnings, indicating a "significant risk to life". These are in effect along the River Monnow in Skenfrith, Osbaston, and Over Monnow, as well as the River Wye at Monmouth.
Monmouthshire County Council has advised residents to avoid travel, citing significant impacts on the road network and poor driving conditions due to standing water.
Nationwide Warnings and Travel Disruption
The flooding is part of the aftermath of Storm Claudia, which brought amber weather warnings and torrential rain to large parts of the UK on Friday. The storm has caused extensive travel disruption.
Across the UK, numerous flood warnings and alerts are active:
- Wales: 8 flood warnings and 39 flood alerts.
- England: 92 flood warnings and 194 flood alerts.
Rail services have been severely affected. Great Western Railway has advised passengers not to travel between London Paddington and Bristol/South Wales due to line flooding. Services are also suspended between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple. Other operators, including Avanti West Coast, Northern, and Transport for Wales, are reporting significant disruptions and cancellations.
Cold Snap Threatens Health Services
Simultaneously, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a yellow cold weather alert for five English regions: the East Midlands, West Midlands, North East, North West, and Yorkshire and The Humber.
The alert is active from 8am on Monday, 17th November, until 8am on Friday, 21st November. The UKHSA has warned that "significant impacts are possible across health and social care services", including a potential rise in mortality among those aged 65 and over or with existing health conditions.
The Met Office forecasts that temperatures could fall below freezing in some areas next week, compounding the challenges faced by public services.
The effects of Storm Claudia have also been felt in Ireland, where Met Eireann issued warnings for significant rain in Dublin, Wexford, and Wicklow, with hazardous travel conditions and further flooding possible.
