Communities across the UK and Portugal are reeling from the devastating impacts of Storm Claudia, which brought record-breaking rainfall, severe flooding, and tragic loss of life over the weekend of November 14-16, 2025. As clean-up operations continue and cold Arctic air sweeps in, residents, business owners, and officials are facing a daunting recovery—and mounting questions about how to prevent such disasters from happening again.
In Portugal, the storm’s fury claimed three lives and left dozens injured, as reported by Reuters. Tragedy struck Fernao Ferro, near Lisbon, where an elderly couple lost their lives in their flooded home on Thursday, November 13. On Saturday, November 15, a tornado tore through Albufeira in southern Portugal, killing an 85-year-old British woman and injuring 28 people, two of them seriously. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressed "his solidarity with the family of the victim who died" and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. The Portuguese weather service, IPMA, placed the entire Algarve and the districts of Beja and Setubal on amber alert, its second-highest level, as emergency services scrambled to respond to the chaos.
Meanwhile, Storm Claudia lashed Britain with relentless wind and rain, causing record flooding in parts of the West Midlands and Wales. According to BBC Hereford & Worcester, the Dulas Brook in Ewyas Harold reached an unprecedented 2.99 meters (9.8 feet), while Suckley in Worcestershire saw a staggering 80.6 mm of rain fall in just 12 hours. The River Monnow in Monmouth, Wales, surged to record levels, surpassing those seen during Storm Dennis in 2020 and Storm Bert in 2024, as reported by BBC News.
For residents and business owners, the storm’s toll was both immediate and personal. Bennie Krige, owner of the Ewyas Harold village shop, was on holiday in South Africa when he saw the water rising on his CCTV. "I was sat in Cape Town and I just knew that I needed to book a flight," he told the BBC. "I sat having dinner with my wife and I just called for the bill and said 'we've got to get to the airport now, I've got to get on a plane' and so I jumped on a plane two hours later." Upon returning, Krige joined other villagers in assessing the damage and beginning the long process of recovery.
In Monmouth, the flooding was described as "dreadful" by county councillor Martin Newell, who recounted speaking with a resident who had "lost everything, all of his possessions." MP Catherine Fookes highlighted the anxiety gripping the community, calling it a "really worrying time" and emphasizing the need for a review of flood defences. Yet amid the devastation, she praised the "incredibly resilient and kind" spirit of Monmouth’s people, who donated clothes and hot meals for evacuees at a local church.
Emergency services were stretched thin as floodwaters inundated homes, businesses, and infrastructure. The South Wales Fire and Rescue Service conducted rescues, evacuations, and welfare checks throughout the region. A major incident declared in Monmouth was rescinded on Sunday afternoon as waters began to recede, but not before hundreds of homes lost power and many buildings were left coated in thick sludge. Natural Resources Wales issued 11 flood warnings—including four severe, "danger to life" warnings—and 17 flood alerts, while in England, the Environment Agency reported 49 active flood warnings and 134 flood alerts as of November 15, according to Reuters.
Travel chaos followed in the storm’s wake. Rail services between Shrewsbury, Hereford, and Cardiff were suspended due to water on the tracks, and flooded roads made rail replacement services impossible. Transport for Wales warned passengers not to attempt travel between Shrewsbury and Newport, while National Rail and the AA advised caution amid "hazardous weather." The A4110 in Eardisland was closed after vehicles blocked the road, stalling clean-up efforts. Even as the floodwaters receded, disruption was expected to persist into Monday, November 17, with some Great Western Railway and Transport for Wales routes still affected.
Authorities and local councils have moved quickly to address the immediate aftermath. Herefordshire Council conducted safety inspections and deployed cleaning vehicles, while the Environment Agency removed debris—including a large tree trunk stuck under a bridge in Ewyas Harold—that threatened to worsen flooding. Barry Killner, response lead from the Environment Agency, explained that plans were in place to remove larger debris displaced by the flood. Matt Lawrence, also from the Environment Agency, told the BBC: "We learn from every flood event and we've got staff out liaising with those affected communities and over the coming months we'll be investigating if we can do anything more."
Still, many residents are impatient for lasting change. An investigation by Herefordshire Council had already begun after last year’s floods, but local voices are calling for swift action. Malcolm Watkins, from Ewyas Harold Group Parish Council, remarked: "In a terrible way [it'll]... actually give us some impetus to move things forward more quickly than may have happened before." Others, like resident Carrie Gladwin, voiced uncertainty about the future: "Just wonder whether we've seen a lifetime's event or whether it's just gonna happen again in four weeks' time. You just don't know." The sense of helplessness was echoed by Temple Bar Inn owner Gino Fulgoni: "[You] just see it coming and what can you do? You just feel very helpless."
As if the floods weren’t enough, the UK now faces a sharp drop in temperatures. According to BBC Weather, cold Arctic air is set to sweep across the country, bringing the possibility of snow on higher ground in Scotland and northern England by Tuesday, November 18. The UK Health Security Agency has issued yellow cold health alerts for northern and central England from Monday, November 17, to Friday, November 21, warning of "significant impacts" on health and social care services. Highs of just 5–10°C are expected, with brisk northerly winds and wintry showers likely along exposed coasts and in the mountains.
This sudden cold snap is attributed to a shift in wind direction. After weeks of mild, cloudy air from the Canary Islands, the UK has moved from the warmer side of the jet stream to the colder side. While most rail lines have returned to normal, authorities urge passengers to check before traveling and for drivers to avoid unnecessary journeys in hazardous conditions.
Across Britain and Portugal, the aftermath of Storm Claudia has laid bare both the vulnerability and resilience of communities. As clean-up efforts continue and the cold sets in, the calls for improved flood defences and better preparedness grow louder. For now, residents are left to pick up the pieces, uncertain when—or if—the next storm will strike.
