UK: Hundreds evacuated amid dam burst fears

Hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes in the UK early today after torrential rain led to fears that a a dam could burst.

Hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes in the UK early today after torrential rain led to fears that a dam could burst.

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council urged residents living near Ulley Dam in South Yorkshire to leave their houses after an expert warned there was a “significant risk” the dam walls could fail after abnormally heavy rain.

Three people have died so far in severe flooding caused by the downpour in the Yorkshire area.

A teenager who was swept to his death in a swollen river in Sheffield was named today as Ryan Joe Parry, 14, who died on his way home from school yesterday.

A 28-year-old man died after becoming trapped in a drain despite a frantic attempt by emergency services to save him.

Mike Barnett was killed after becoming stuck in neck-high water in a storm drain in Hessle, near Hull.

The flooding also claimed the life of a 68-year-old man in Sheffield as he tried to cross a road flooded by water at about 8pm last night.

He was with two other men and was swept away, possibly as he tried to leave his stranded car.

Ryan’s body was recovered in the Millhouses Park area of Sheffield after he died in the River Sheaf.

The dam burst warning came overnight. Residents were taken by bus to a temporary evacuation centre set up at Dinnington Comprehensive School in Rotherham.

Council spokeswoman Tracy Holmes said: “We have taken professional advice from an engineer, who said there is a significant risk that the dam could fail.

“Public safety is paramount for us, so we started to evacuate from three specific areas.”

Ms Holmes said the decision to evacuate was taken at about 2am.

Residents were advised it was “in their interests” to leave their properties but allowed to remain at home if they were adamant they would not go as long as they stayed upstairs.