Two rare 'red' weather warnings remain in place for Greater Manchester as UK is battered by Storm Franklin

21.02.2022 - 11:25 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Two red 'danger to life' weather warnings remain in place near the River Mersey in south Manchester today, with hundreds of flood warnings still in effect across the UK.

It comes as the latest weather event, Storm Franklin, continues to batter the country following storms Dudley and Eunice.

Disruption has broken out across the roads and rail, with people being urged not to travel.

Train services up and down the country have been cancelled and this morning the M60 was fully closed off because of an overturned lorry.

Buildings and trees have also collapsed amid heavy winds, while thousands of people have experienced power cuts.

But Met Office chief meteorologist Andy Page said that while 'Storm Franklin will bring further high winds for many,' it won't be 'on the same scale as Eunice.'

One red warning, issued by the Government flooding service, covers East Didsbury, while the other affects West Didsbury and Northenden.

Nearly 500 homes in the affected areas are being evacuated, due to 'heavy and persistent rainfall resulting in rising river levels on the River Mersey'.

The government has issued a further 184 flood warnings for rivers across the country, meaning flooding in those areas is likely.

Some 168 flood alerts are also in effect, meaning flooding is possible in those areas.

Most of the warnings are expected to end this afternoon or tomorrow, but the situation is being monitored.

Meanwhile the Met Office has put a yellow wind warning in place, covering all of Northern Ireland and Wales, most of England and some of Scotland.

The warning came into force at 12 noon on Sunday and remains in place until 1pm today.