Source: The Guardian
Torrential rain has flooded roads and tube stations in London after thunderstorms hit the south of England on Sunday.
Barts Health NHS trust declared a major incident after the flooding led to problems at Whipps Cross hospital and Newham Hospital in the east of the city.
A statement from the trust says: “We are working closely with our local partners to resolve the issues and maintain patient care and — while services remain available for people in an emergency — patients are asked to attend alternative hospitals where they can, to help us put solutions in place as quickly as possible.”
Police had to close a road in south-west London where three doubledecker buses were stuck under a railway bridge, according to a journalist from Agence France-Presse. The driver said passengers had to get off after his bus started taking on water.
Other motorists in Walthamstow, north-east London, had to abandon their vehicles.
It was also reported that some residents there were in waist-high water in their homes with emergency service called to rescue them.
Portobello Road in west London was also deluged, according to social media posts.
Met Office and Environment Agency rain gauges showed there was 48.5mm (1.9in) of rain in one hour at Bethersden in Kent between 3pm and 4pm on Sunday. There was 38.5mm in one hour at Ryde, Isle of Wight, and 20-30mm in one hour in parts of London and nearby counties.
London fire brigade said it had taken 300 flooding-related calls in just a few hours on Sunday.
The Standon Calling music festival, which had been taking place in Hertfordshire with a capacity of 15,000, was called off due to flooding.
Standon Calling said on Twitter: “If you can safely leave the site this evening please do so as soon as possible. We are working on getting everyone off site as safely and quickly as possible.”
The festival said it expected “considerable delays” leaving the site and warned festivalgoers not to drive if intoxicated.
The Environment Agency on Sunday issued five flood warnings across the southern parts of England and 19 flood alerts, which included parts of Wales. A yellow thunderstorm warning was in place until midnight on Sunday covering an area of the south from Norwich to Plymouth.
An amber warning for thunderstorms had previously been issued by the Met Office for parts of south-east England, including the London area, during Sunday afternoon and early evening.
Met Office meteorologist Steven Keates said the storms were being caused by a convergence of air currents as warmth in the Earth’s surface from the recent heatwave rose to meet cooler air in the atmosphere.
Forecasters said Monday would be a “slightly quieter” day in the south with a few locally sharp showers and some heavier showers across the north of the UK.
However, through the coming week, the unsettled weather will continue and further rain and thunderstorm warnings could be issued for Tuesday and onwards.
