Britain has been ravaged by Storm Christoph prompting thousands–including entire villages–to be evacuated due to dangerous flooding, which will only be amplified by further heavy rain, snow and ice to fall over certain parts of Britain later today.
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Water levels that broke all other records
Parts of Greater Manchester, in particular, were hit by what has been equivalently measured as two months worth of rain forcing mass evacuations as River Mersey almost burst its banks.
East Didsbury, West Didsbury and Northenden saw about 2,000 homes being evacuated as water levels rose to 3.27 meters breaking the previous record of 3 meters recorded in 2016.
Lee Rowlinson, from the Environment Agency, told BBC Radio 4's Today program that river levels were dangerously shocking:
What I'm really pleased with is the actions of the Environment Agency meant we managed to take the peak off the river so that it didn't top its banks and flood those properties but we were very, very close.
Adding that:
We were within centimetres and we're not out of the woods yet. The difficulty is that it's still raining up in the uplands, it may not be raining here in Cheshire and Manchester as heavily now, but the uplands are still getting some of that rainfall and the water has to come down through the rivers we're being vigilant for the next couple of days.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson's warning
Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged people to take cover and to abide by the flood warnings asking them to evacuate and leave everything behind if need be. Other directives given were to respect social distancing measures put in place despite the frenzy caused by the storm.
Mr Johnson revealed that:
[There have been] some times where I have been to scenes where, alas, people have decided not to obey the advice and not evacuated. It is their right not to do so if they choose - it's always people's right to stay wherever they are. But it really is advisable - follow the advice. If you are told to leave your home then you should do so.
Check out the video above to see footage of the flooding caused by Storm Christoph!
