Following heavy rain overnight from Sunday to Monday, flooding and squalls were reported across the south-east of the UK. Around 100 flood warnings and alerts were issued. In some areas, more rain fell in 24 hours than is normally received in two months.
In central and southern England, roads, properties and homes were flooded. “It was unbelievable,” said a resident of Grendon, Northamptonshire, describing how “half a metre of water got into his house”.
Many roads and railways are impassable. Several schools were closed on Monday.
Cars underwater, flooded subway
The London Fire Brigade said it had received more than 350 calls about people trapped in cars or homes and to respond to flooded Tube stations.
The social media profile of the fire department showed a photo from the night of Sunday to Monday, showing a submerged car on a road on the outskirts of the British capital. At the same time, it appealed to people not to drive through the flooded streets.
By late Monday afternoon, there were 21 flood warnings in force, meaning flooding was expected in the area, and 86 alerts meaning it was possible. Almost all of England – apart from the southwest and northwest – was under a yellow warning for heavy rain, while the area between London, Birmingham and Bristol was under an orange warning.
Flooding in LutonPAP/EPA/NEIL HALL
Heavy rainfall
Record rainfall was recorded in some places. In Woburn, Bedfordshire, 114.4 litres per square metre fell in 36 hours, more than twice the monthly average for September, while between 9am on Sunday and 9am on Monday, 90.4 litres per square metre fell, the highest daily rainfall since regular records began in 1898. The rain is expected to ease on Tuesday, but will return at similar rates on Wednesday and Thursday.
Main image source: X/London Fire Brigade