Storm Dennis: Navy and RNLI scramble to save man overboard off Kent – live updates | UK news

John Curtin, executive director of flood and coastal risk management at the Environment Agency, has posted a timeline on when Storm Dennis is expected to hit the UK.

Animal shelter Battersea has advised pet owners to check their fences and gates before letting their dogs out in the garden and consider keeping them indoors until the storm passes.

Emergency services are warning of dangerous driving conditions.

North Wales Police said very high winds had led to debris and branches falling off trees while Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said it had rescued a motorist from a car stuck in flood water in the Liskeard area.

Carlisle East Fire Station has advised motorists to avoid driving through flood water.

Two drop-in centres have been opened for people affected by flooding in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

The weather has played havoc with sporting fixtures scheduled for today.

Nine games have already been called off in the National League.

Rochdale against Tranmere is also off in League One owing to a waterlogged pitch.

CrossCountry rail passengers have been advised that some journeys will take longer because of speed restrictions.

The Met Office has updated its advice on the amber warnings issued. Amber means it is quite likely that adverse weather will affect people, possibly including travel delays, road and rail closures and power cuts.

Sussex police have issued advice to households on who to call to deal with fallen trees, debris, flooding and other hazards.

The Environment Agency has put measures in place in Yorkshire and Northumberland to reduce water levels.

Network Rail has advised passengers to expect disruption on many routes and to allow more time for their journeys because of flooding.

Meanwhile, people living near the railway are being urged to secure any loose items in their gardens, after several trampolines were blown on to tracks and overhead electric wires last weekend, blocking lines.

The storm is also likely to cause treacherous driving conditions, and people have been urged not to attempt to drive into deep floodwater.

The Environment Agency said flooding was likely to be worse than under last weekend’s Storm Ciara because rain was falling on already saturated ground. In England alone, 800 properties were left flooded when Storm Ciara struck, the EA said.

George Eustice, the newly appointed environment secretary, said authorities were “fully focused on ensuring that communities are protected”.

Troops are being deployed to help with preparations in the Calder Valley in West Yorkshire.

Calderdale council said military personnel would also join workers and volunteers to support flood recovery efforts in the area, which was badly hit by flooding during Storm Ciara.

Storm Dennis is forecast to bring heavy rain across the Pennines, leaving towns like Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd in the Calder Valley at risk of further flooding.

Flood defences will be in operation this weekend, with additional temporary flood barriers being installed in Shropshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire and Surrey. More than 500 staff are on active incident duty and 30 mobile pumps have been deployed, the EA said.

Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s coverage of Storm Dennis which is set to cause weather disruption for the second weekend in a row.

A Royal Navy ship is assisting in a search and rescue operation off the coast of Margate, Kent, after a man was reported overboard.

The incident was reported at 5.41am and an extensive search is under way, HM Coastguard said.

RNLI lifeboats, a police boat and the coastguard helicopter are working with the navy ship in an effort to search the area.

A coastguard spokesman said: “RNLI lifeboats from Ramsgate and Margate have been sent, along with the search and rescue helicopter from Lydd.

“A police RHIB is also on scene. HM Coastguard broadcast a relay to vessels in the area, and a Royal Navy vessel is assisting.”

The distress call is believed to have come from B Gas Margrethe, a 99-metre Maltese tanker that had been anchored off the coast of Margate.

Flights will be grounded for safety reasons, with British Airways and easyJet confirming cancellations.

Flights have been cancelled from Luton airport.

Anyone hoping to fly is advised to check their airline’s website for the latest updates.

More than 230 easyJet flights in and out of the UK on Saturday have been cancelled because of the weather.

A spokesman for British Airways said: “The majority of our flights are planned to operate as planned, but, like all airlines flying to and from the UK today, we are experiencing some disruption due to the stormy weather conditions.

“We are merging a small number of Heathrow short-haul flights to the same destination and using larger aircraft where possible to minimise disruption. Customers can check ba.com for the latest flight information.”

A spokeswoman for easyJet said: “Due to forecasted adverse weather conditions caused by Storm Dennis, easyJet, like other airlines, is currently seeing disruption to its flight programme for Saturday 15 February. We are doing everything possible to minimise the impact of the disruption for our customers and to arrange alternative travel.

“Customers on cancelled flights have been given the option of transferring their flight free of charge or receiving a refund. We will also provide hotel rooms and meals for customers who require them.”

Ryanair said all its flights were operating as normal.