London flooding: Areas of city flooded as post-heatwave thunderstorm warning issued

Motorists had to be rescued by emergency services after heavy rain left roads flooded in parts of London.

Roads in the south and the east of the city were submerged in rain amid heavy post-heatwave thunderstorms.

On the main roads, a number of motorists had to abandon their cars after they became half submerged in the deluge, and the rain became heavier as the afternoon wore on.

Cars were mainly affected by water collecting in dips under bridges on the main roads, including dual carriageways.

A boat had to be used by a rescue crew to reach motorists stuck in their cars under a bridge in Worcester Park, Sutton.

Also in Worcester Park, a man is seen walking through flood water that reaches his mid-thigh in a photo posted to Twitter.

Two flood warnings are currently in place for Worcester Park and nearby West Barnes, due to the flooding of the river Beverley Brook.

“River levels have risen as a result of localised thunderstorms,” the government’s Environment Agency said.

Other affected areas were Clapham and Camberwell, as well as Kingston in south-west London, and parts of east London such as Leyton and Walthamstow.

London Fire Brigade said that they have taken at least 130 calls concerning flooding on roads and in basements.

Cars half-submerged by floods under a bridge were stranded by the drivers on the A406 near the Walthamstow turnoff, according to photos posted on Twitter.

There has been severe disruption in Woodford, east London, as the M11 slip road on to the A406 North Circular, at junction four, was shut because of the severe flash floods, the Metropolitan Police warned.

Police and traffic officers were on the scene to assist motorists that were affected by the travel chaos.

The Met Police’s Special Constabulary urged motorists not to drive through deep water in flooded areas.

It said: “Rescuing people uses a lot of resources, and so it’s wiser to apply good judgement and find a different route.”

Homes and businesses were also affected by the floods, with one restaurant owner in Woodford, east London, reportedly saying that it was the worst flooding he had ever seen in the capital.

Amber warnings for thunderstorms have been issued for this weekend by the Met Office.

The meteologists warned that southern and central parts of England and Wales would see flash flooding.

It follows high temperatures seen across the UK earlier this week, with the hottest day since records began in Northern Ireland of 31.4C. England saw a high of 32C during the hottest day of the year so far on Tuesday 20 July.

The thunderstorms spell the end of the hot weather and the beginning of cooler temperatures across the UK.

Southern England will see heavy showers and thunderstorms continuing throughout Sunday, while many other areas in the north will be “dry with plenty of sunshine,” according to Met Office.

Monday will be cloudy with sunny spells, and scattered showers.

Spells of heavier rain, with a risk of hail and thunder, is expected from Tuesday until the end of the week.

The Met Office has predicted that “above average” temperatures will make a return from about mid-August.