People living to the north east of Bristol have been warned to ‘act now’ as flooding is expected along the River Frome. Rising rivers levels are expected to flood low lying land and roads along the river, from Stapleton to Nibley, according to the Environment Agency.
It comes after waves of heavy rain hit the region yesterday, Tuesday, October 8, and overnight, created from the aftermath of a hurricane in the Atlantic. Part of the M5 was closed for a time yesterday in Somerset and Gloucestershire due to flooding across the carriageway.
The Met Office predicts more rain will arrive in Bristol from around 7pm tonight, Wednesday, October 9, and may contribute to the already high river levels and potentially bring more flooding.
The Environment Agency (EA) said: “Rising river levels are expected to cause flooding overnight. Flooding is forecast to affect locations near the Bristol Frome, with low lying land and roads expected to be most affected, particularly around Rectory Road at Frampton Cotterell.
“Weather conditions are expected to improve overnight and no further flooding is expected. We are closely monitoring the situation and closing flood gates. Start acting on your flood plan if you have one. Don’t put yourself or others at risk.”
As well as an urgent flood warning, several flood alerts are also in place across the Bristol area. The Environment Agency says flooding is “possible” in the Bristol Frome catchment area, which covers a large part of the city, as well as the North Somerset area in Portishead an Clevedon. Another alert has been issued across the River Chew catchment area to the south of Bristol, including Keynsham.