Thousands of homes were being evacuated across Manchester, Merseyside and north Wales on Wednesday as Storm Christoph continued to deliver torrential rain across the UK. Police and firefighters were working with Manchester city council to evacuate homes in East Didsbury, West Didsbury and Northenden on Wednesday evening. Severe flood warnings, meaning there is a danger to life, were issued by the Environment Agency for those south Manchester suburbs, as well as in Maghull, Merseyside. Residents in Maghull were advised to leave their properties as soon as possible due to rising river levels, while homes were also being evacuated in Ruthin, north Wales. Downing Street has said Covid-secure facilities will be available for any people forced to evacuate as a result of the weather. The prime minister, who chaired a Cobra crisis meeting on Wednesday after major incidents were declared in Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire and Cheshire, said steps were being taken to ensure electricity outages would not be “severe” and that there were sufficient supplies of sandbags. He told reporters: “There are some times where I have been to scenes where, alas, people have decided not to obey the advice and not evacuated. “It is their right not to do so if they choose – it’s always people’s right to stay wherever they are. But it really is advisable – follow the advice. If you are told to leave your home, then you should do so.” Some 2,000 properties in Greater Manchester will be evacuated overnight due to flooding, the city council told the PA news agency. Nick Bailey, an assistant chief constable with Greater Manchester police, said a flood basin in Didsbury, which takes water from the River Mersey, was full on Wednesday evening and would “over-top in the next few hours”. He added: “As a result, we will be issuing a flood warning to homes. This will be through texted flood alerts to some people and police officers, PCSOs, firefighters, and volunteers will be knocking on doors. “I think it’s important to stress that if you are contacted and advised to evacuate, then we would strongly urge you to do so. “Some of those that are being evacuated will also be Covid-positive or isolating at home.” He added that strict social distancing rules meant many of the usual refuge centres could not be set up. He said flood-hit residents would be allowed to move in with relatives temporarily if they had to evacuate their properties but that it should only be done in “extreme situations”, amid the lockdown. “Whilst we appreciate that everyone has been told to stay home due to the coronavirus pandemic, we want to make it clear that should members of the public need to evacuate to protect themselves due to flooding then that is the priority and you should follow your local authority’s advice regarding evacuation,” he said. Bailey added that up to 3,000 properties in Greater Manchester could be affected by flooding, with a peak expected at 11pm on Wednesday. North Wales police tweeted that its officers had been called to assist Denbighshire county council and North Wales fire and rescue service in Ruthin, where some homes were being evacuated, adding: “Regrettably, people who do not live locally are driving to the area to ‘see the floods’. Please do not stretch our resources by adding to the problem.” In Merseyside, Sefton council said heavy rain had led to flooding from the River Alt which was set to increase. “Water levels at Dover Brook, near the River Alt, reached 2.5 metres today, which is unprecedented for that area. Modelling from the Environment Agency, including anticipated overnight rainfall, will take that level to 3.5 metres,” a council spokesman said. The Environment Agency has issued a further 113 flood warnings across England, with 218 less severe flood alerts, mainly across the Midlands and north of the country. Almost the whole of England, Wales and Northern Ireland are subject to yellow weather warnings for rain until midday on Thursday, with a more serious amber warning stretching from the East Midlands to the Lake District. Train operator Northern said torrential rain and flooding across the region had led to the closure of several rail routes, while others had suffered “significant disruption”, and commuters were urged to allow extra time for travel if using the service on Thursday. There was also an amber warning for snow in parts of southern Scotland. About 30cm could fall in areas above 400 metres, with up to 10cm likely to accumulate in lower regions until 8am on Thursday.