‘Danger to Life’ Flood Warnings Issued in UK, Hundreds Evacuate as Storm Franklin Makes Landfall

The newly-named storm is the third in less than a week to pummel the UK, coming in the wake of Storm Eunice that killed three people and left 1.4 million homes without power, and, before that, storm Dudley that hit parts of the North East, Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Lancashire.

As clear-up efforts continue across the UK, which remains battered after two weather systems – storm Eunice and storm Dudley – yet another named storm has made landfall - Franklin - with flooding forcing people to evacuate their homes in parts of the country.

The Met Office has named #StormFranklin

The storm is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the UK on Sunday and Monday

The strongest winds will be in Northern Ireland where an Amber weather warning has been issued

Stay #WeatherAware ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/gOektUciFQ

— Met Office (@metoffice) February 20, 2022

The Meteorological Office has issued two weather warnings for Sunday evening and Monday morning, forecasting gale-force winds that could result in “travel delays, road and rail closures", as well as "potential risk to life and property”.

“There is a good chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage. Injuries and danger to life is likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties,” added the Met Office.

An amber wind warning from midnight until 7am on Monday currently covers Northern Ireland, where inland areas in the north and northwest could be pummelled by winds of up to 70 mph.

Wait for it...

Storm Franklin has taken an incredible 7,000+ km journey out of the USA and across the Atlantic to deliver very strong winds to Europe.

Franklin is the third European wind storm this week. pic.twitter.com/7TisY4f5Xo

— Scott Duncan (@ScottDuncanWX) February 20, 2022

A milder, yellow warning, is in place for England, Wales and the southwestern edge of Scotland until 1pm on Monday.

Flying debris, stated the Met Office, could present a risk to life or injury, with trees likely to be uprooted and buildings and cars hit by the gale-force winds.

This was clacton on sea 5 minutes Ago 😳😳 #StormEunice #stormfranklin #Clacton #storm pic.twitter.com/ARyuiTF4Kq

— Shutts (@Shutts1693) February 20, 2022

The new storm is also likely to result in more travel chaos, with disruptions and cancellations. Some bridges and roads are also likely to close, according to forecasters.

By Sunday evening there were at least 154 flood warnings issued across England, predominantly in the north. The UK Environment Agency has issued two severe flood warnings for Didsbury and Northenden, Greater Manchester, signalling a risk of “danger to life”.

Concerns that swollen rivers might burst their banks prompted residents in parts of Yorkshire and Manchester to evacuate on Sunday. In south Manchester, the River Mersey reached such troubling levels that residents of at least 430 homes fled for safety.

Throughout Sunday, the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service rushed to rescue people caught unawares by the inclement weather.

As Franklin follows storm Eunice, that left four people dead in the UK and Ireland and stripped 1.4 million homes of power, and storm Dudley before that, Met Office meteorologist Becky Mitchell was cited as saying this was the first time the national forecaster had recorded three major storms in succession since a system was set up to name such weather systems.