Emergency crews in the UK have had to rescue 20 people from a care home in Derbyshire as cars were submerged in flood water in the county, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue have said.
More than 100 people had to be rescued in Derbyshire on Friday and the service declared a major incident due to the impact of Storm Babet.
Clive Stanbrook, area manager at Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service, warned floodwaters could continue to rise near Derby and across south Derbyshire on Saturday.
⚠️Can we remind people not to walk in or through flood water.
The water may be fast flowing or be hiding dangers such as street furniture, drains and drain covers that may have lifted in the flood.
Stay safe #FollowAdvice #StormBabet #DerbyshireMajorIncident pic.twitter.com/cCuqnPqkbh— Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service (@DerbyshireFRS) October 20, 2023
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He told BBC Breakfast: “We rescued over 100 people yesterday. For example, just on one road in Chesterfield in the north of the county, we rescued 60 people when that (water level) became up to the top of cars and several HGVs were stuck as well.
“There is a village called Duffield in Derbyshire and we rescued 20 people from one care home there.
“Also there were 18 houses that were evacuated in a village called Ironville, again in the north of the county.”
Mr Stanbrook added that officers had been working through the night to rescue people, and said West Midlands Fire Services has sent two boat crews to help rescue people trapped by the floods.
The RSPCA has also volunteered a boat crew in Derbyshire to help rescue animals such as horses and dogs.
Mr Stanbrook warned it will be dangerous travelling in flooded areas on Saturday.
He added: “The advice we give today is only travel if absolutely, absolutely necessary. If floodwaters recede, then that’s absolutely great…
“But on the road there is still going to be silt, there is still going to be debris that is going to cause real, real danger to anybody travelling at the moment – no matter what you’re travelling in.
“No matter what size car or vehicle, please only travel if absolutely necessary.
“Please be careful of riverbanks and canal banks. They are going to be soft.
“Everything is going to be dangerous today if you’re walking or travelling, so please travel if only absolutely necessary.”
