A month’s worth of rain fell in just a couple of hours in some areas of London yesterday, causing flash floods and leaving people trapped in their own cars in traffic.
The London Fire Brigade had to respond to a high number of calls from people whose cars were submerged after heavy downpours turned roads into rivers across the Southern part of the capital, making driving conditions hazardous. The Environment Agency says 1.4 inches of rain fell in London in one hour.
The areas most affected by torrential rain on Tuesday, June 7th, include Wallington, Mitcham, Croydon and Surrey. On Wallington High St, for instance, the downpour caused depths of up to two metres in just minutes.
Flood warnings have also been issued for several areas in west London, including Ruislip and Harrow, and the heavy rain has spread further north through England.
Besides pulling citizens out of their submerged vehicles, the London fire crews were also called to multiple cases of fires after lightning struck several buildings.
Southern Railway announced via Twitter that delays should be expected as trains had to be run at a reduced speed on all lines due to heavy flooding.
Activity at Luton Airport was also affected by the sudden storms, as the UK Border Force computer systems were taken out due to the power interruption.
Officials from the Met Office predict the rainfalls could continue to cause localised flooding, surface water flooding and travel disruption, so they advise people to prepare for the continued bad weather.
