It’s been six months since Storm Babette hit the UK, but many communities are still picking up the pieces.
The storm that hit last October caused devastating flooding, widespread power outages and seven people died.
In Cutcliffe, a village near Rotherham, south yorkshireMore than 200 homes were evacuated when water levels reached six feet.
Although the water has disappeared, its impact remains.
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October 2023: Storm Babette floods hundreds of homes
Residents of Sheffield Lane were among those forced to flee, and most have yet to return to their homes.
Instead, they are still living with their families or in hotels while they wait for their properties to be repaired.
Firefighters carried Chris Lloyd to safety on a raft as his home was flooded by rapidly rising waters. His property was severely damaged and he won’t be able to return home until June.
He said flood-hit communities felt completely forgotten.
Cutcliffe resident Chris Lloyd
“Do something, tell us something,” he said in a message to authorities.
“Give us something to reduce the amount of water that can come in. I’ve said it a million times, but please try to give the people of Cutcliffe a future.”
Across the road at Jack’s Drama School, the Saturday morning toddler group was oblivious to the stress and tension of the storm.
It took weeks for the historic building to dry out, and the school relied on the help of dozens of volunteers to clear away dirt and debris before they could return to the building in February.
Cutcliffe suffered flood damage last October. Image: PA
For staff and students, the show must go on, but there is always the fear that this could happen again.
Teacher Mia Mottram said: “Every time it rains heavily, I sit at home and think, I hope it doesn’t rain in Cutcliffe, because if it rains heavily again… it would be terrible to think that way.”
“We know many of the children on this road and it’s heartbreaking to think of their homes being destroyed.”
There are concerns the UK is lagging behind in taking proactive measures to protect people and homes from the effects of extreme rainfall.
Baroness Brown, deputy chair of the UK Committee on Climate Change, said: “I don’t know how much more of a wake-up call we need on climate.”
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Floods Minister Robbie Moore has called on local authorities to be careful when considering housing applications and ensure homes are not built on flood plains.
“From my perspective, I want to make sure that the government … invests as much money as possible in flood protection measures,” he said.
Meanwhile, communities like Cutcliffe are trying to rebuild their homes and lives while worrying they won’t be properly protected when the next storm arrives.
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