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Flash floods hit Britain as a month's rain falls in 24 hours

by DD Desk

September 23, 2024

Flash floods hit Britain as a month's rain falls in 24 hours

key takeaways

Flash floods hit Britain with a month's rain in 24 hours

Following days of rain that in some places exceeded one month's total in a single day, flash floods have hit several parts of Britain.

Parts of Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, and London have flooded due to heavy rains, disrupting travel for many and inflicting property damage.

The Environment Agency had issued 17 flood warnings (indicating flooding is expected) for England as of 11.45am.

The Worcestershire towns of Childswickham, Leighton Buzzard, and Luton, as well as several areas of London, including South Ruislip, are among those affected by the flood warnings.

The A421 in Bedfordshire was blocked in both directions between the A6 Bedford and the M1 J13 near Marston Moretaine due to flooding, according to National Highways. A portion of Dunstable High Street was closed down by Bedfordshire Police, who cited "substantial flooding" as the cause. Videos of cars struggling with high water near the Saracen's Head pub were circulated on social media.

A notice on the Central Bedfordshire Council website states that flooding or water intrusion is the cause of the closure of several schools in the county of Bedfordshire.

A portion of London's Overground and Tube lines have been suspended. Between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge, the Piccadilly and Metropolitan lines are suspended, while the District Line is not operating between Turnham Green and Richmond.

The Bakerloo line and the Metropolitan line between Rayners Lane and Harrow-on-the-Hill are experiencing significant delays, and there is no Overground service operating between South Acton and Richmond.

According to the London Fire Brigade, its 999 control officers have responded to almost 350 calls regarding flooding in the city.

Firefighters have responded to crises in Carshalton, Wimbledon, Uxbridge, and Ruislip.

According to the agency, they included reacting to floods in underground stations, roads, homes, and commercial premises, as well as rescuing individuals who were stuck in cars and helping them escape their homes.

The third-round Carabao Cup match between AFC Wimbledon and Newcastle has been postponed owing to "extensive overnight flooding" at Cherry Red Records Stadium on Tuesday.

As a result, the Dons' stadium—which also seems to have a sinkhole in the field—is currently closed. The tie's new date has not yet been decided.

Over the weekend, there were rain warnings, and on Monday, a new yellow notice that covered much of the south and portions of Wales went into effect at midnight.

At 5 am, an amber alert was issued, and it will remain in effect until 11:59 pm.

Originally encompassing Worcester, Birmingham, Nottingham, and Hull, the warning region has since moved further south and southwest, according to a Met Office update. Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire are included in this.

Tim Maher and his Grendon companion Carol Findon witnessed their two-story home half flooded with nearly a foot of water over night.

"We've had an incredible amount of rain in recent days, and some forecasters were warning we could see a month's worth of rain in a single day," Mr. Maher said to PA.

"At approximately 8:45 p.m., the river level on my phone—which I use to track it—started to rise rapidly.

"I made the decision to drive to the bridge when I noticed the water rushing at me from the bank.

"I hurriedly drove home, turned around, and erected our flood barrier against the entryway. Although most of the water was kept out, we did receive about an inch overnight.

"Some of the furniture, including couches and rugs, have sustained some damage. Drying out the structure will be the most challenging part.

"Our road has at least eight affected properties, and we haven't slept well. Finding a long-term solution to this issue would be good.