At Least 7 Dead as Storm Babet Sweeps Through the UK
The Met Office has warned London and the South East of England to prepare for potential flooding and severe disruption, after Storm Babet battered Scotland and left seven people dead across the UK....
Facts
- The Met Office has warned London and the South East of England to prepare for potential flooding and severe disruption, after Storm Babet battered Scotland and left seven people dead across the UK.1
- The Met Office’s yellow warning was issued after Scotland faced intense rainfall and severe flooding, displacing hundreds, and leaving thousands in the dark after winds nearing 70 mph (113 km/h) knocked out electricity.2
- Some regions of Scotland received more than 26 inches of rain, which caused waterways to break their banks, leading to three deaths. An additional four lives were lost in England and Wales.3
- The Met Office warned that the downpour would continue even after the storm had passed, and that catastrophic flooding remained a high probability.1
- Meanwhile, Secretary of State for Environment Therese Coffey blamed the rain “coming from the other way” for limitations on the government’s inability to assist residents hit by floods.4
- Though the government has allocated £5.2B to protect homes and businesses from flooding between 2021 and 2027, Coffey has admitted her department may fail to safeguard as many as 336K properties over the next four years.4
Sources: 1Sky News, 2Reuters, 3The New York Times and 4Independent.
Narratives
- Narrative A, as provided by Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit. After a devastating February in 2020, in which storm damages exceeded £360M, the UK government introduced a £5.2B flood prevention and coastal management strategy to reduce property loss and save lives amid natural disasters. By anticipating future extreme weather, the UK has stepped up to be better prepared through investment in critical infrastructure.
- Narrative B, as provided by Edie. While the UK has devised an elaborate and expensive plan to address climate change risks to its infrastructure, the nation is still playing catch up. The current national vision is shortsighted and addresses only a few critical areas. To say there is room for improvement would be an understatement — the real work begins with credible, thoughtful, and informed planning.
