A body has been discovered during the search for a dog walker who went missing in floodwaters as Storm Bert continued to wreak havoc across the UK on Sunday.
The second named storm of the season has delivered over 80% of November’s average monthly rainfall in under 48 hours, leaving more than 100 flood warnings active across England, Scotland, and Wales.
North Wales Police reported that the body was found in the Gower Road area of Trefriw in northwest Wales, near the Afon Conwy river. A 75-year-old man had been reported missing in the area on Saturday while walking his dog.
Must Read: Storm Bert Leaves 60,000 Homes Without Power, Causes Floods And Airport Chaos
Although the body has yet to be formally identified, the missing man’s family has been informed.
Chief Inspector Simon Kneale of North Wales Police expressed gratitude in a statement on Facebook, saying, “I would like to thank the efforts of all agencies involved in the searches in very difficult conditions and for the local community who supported the teams in the area.”
In South Wales, which has been among the hardest-hit areas, a major incident was declared after 80% of a month’s rainfall occurred in less than 48 hours.
Flooding has severely impacted dozens of homes, businesses, and schools. Authorities, including Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council, South Wales Fire and Rescue, Natural Resources Wales, and South Wales Police, have joined forces to address the crisis.
The council noted that the flooding was “significant” and that the “impact [appears] to be more significant than the severe impact experienced during Storm Dennis” in 2020.
Rest centres for affected residents have been set up at Pontypridd Library, Ystrad Sports Centre, Sobell Leisure Centre, and Cynon Valley Indoor Bowls Centre.
Must Read: Storm Bert Unleashes Chaos: Snowstorms, Flood Alerts, And Blizzards Disrupt UK
Firefighters have begun pumping water from Sion Street in Pontypridd, where several homes have been inundated.
Since the storm began early Saturday, Tyn-Y-Waun in Mid Glamorgan, Wales, has recorded 149mm of rain—just shy of the 180mm average for the entire month of November, according to Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst.
In England, White Barrow in Devon reported 135.7mm of rainfall between the storm’s onset and 11 a.m. Sunday, nearly half the region’s typical total for November.
Flooding disrupted railway services, including the lines between Birmingham New Street and Shrewsbury, on Sunday morning, though all lines have since reopened.
Rest centres remain operational in South Wales, and emergency crews continue to address the fallout from the unprecedented rainfall.
Also Read: Air India Issues Travel Advisory as Tropical Storm Bert Disrupts UK Flights on 24 November