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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/23/torrential-rain-and-flooding-in-london-and-south-east-on-referendum-day
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| Torrential rain and flooding in London and south-east on referendum day | Torrential rain and flooding in London and south-east on referendum day |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Torrential downpours and flooding have swamped parts of London and the south-east in the early hours of EU referendum day, with the fire brigade inundated with more than 300 emergency calls. | Torrential downpours and flooding have swamped parts of London and the south-east in the early hours of EU referendum day, with the fire brigade inundated with more than 300 emergency calls. |
| Related: Voting begins in EU referendum as polls say result too close to call | Related: Voting begins in EU referendum as polls say result too close to call |
| Red “immediate action” flood warnings were issued for parts of south-east London and Essex as parts of the capital were expected to see a month’s rain fall in a matter of hours. | Red “immediate action” flood warnings were issued for parts of south-east London and Essex as parts of the capital were expected to see a month’s rain fall in a matter of hours. |
| London Fire Brigade (LFB) said it received a day’s worth of calls in just an hour and a half to reports of weather-related incidents including lightning striking property, flooded homes and businesses and rising waters trapping vehicles. | London Fire Brigade (LFB) said it received a day’s worth of calls in just an hour and a half to reports of weather-related incidents including lightning striking property, flooded homes and businesses and rising waters trapping vehicles. |
| There were reports of flooded streets as storms swept through, threatening disruption as voters head to polling stations. | There were reports of flooded streets as storms swept through, threatening disruption as voters head to polling stations. |
| 300 '999' calls as we attend floods & lightning strikes in #londonstorm https://t.co/wtHRVVOOhG pic @globalsnewsroom pic.twitter.com/aYjMhhqf6H | 300 '999' calls as we attend floods & lightning strikes in #londonstorm https://t.co/wtHRVVOOhG pic @globalsnewsroom pic.twitter.com/aYjMhhqf6H |
| An LFB spokesman said: “Crews are being mobilised to incidents as quickly as possible but the Brigade is appealing to people to only call 999 in an emergency - where there is a risk to life or property. | An LFB spokesman said: “Crews are being mobilised to incidents as quickly as possible but the Brigade is appealing to people to only call 999 in an emergency - where there is a risk to life or property. |
| “Between around 1.30am and 3am our control officers took over three hundred calls - around as many as they would receive in an average day.” | “Between around 1.30am and 3am our control officers took over three hundred calls - around as many as they would receive in an average day.” |
| Over 1000 #Lightning strikes around the UK already today. Alex D pic.twitter.com/wFH01cJ1Hk | Over 1000 #Lightning strikes around the UK already today. Alex D pic.twitter.com/wFH01cJ1Hk |
| In just one hour, 20.5mm of rain fell in Bexley, East London, close to half the June average, with some parts expected to see multiple showers bringing a month’s rain on Thursday morning. | In just one hour, 20.5mm of rain fell in Bexley, East London, close to half the June average, with some parts expected to see multiple showers bringing a month’s rain on Thursday morning. |
| The Environment Agency has issued four flood warnings covering rivers in Bromley, Sidcup and Basildon, and 22 flood alerts across of the South East. | The Environment Agency has issued four flood warnings covering rivers in Bromley, Sidcup and Basildon, and 22 flood alerts across of the South East. |
| Showers are expected to ease by 10am on Thursday morning before returning with similar intensity from 2pm. | Showers are expected to ease by 10am on Thursday morning before returning with similar intensity from 2pm. |
| The Met Office issued an amber “be prepared” warning of rain for part of Kent, Sussex and Surrey effective until 6am on Thursday, while a yellow warning covering the south-east is in place until 6am on Friday. | The Met Office issued an amber “be prepared” warning of rain for part of Kent, Sussex and Surrey effective until 6am on Thursday, while a yellow warning covering the south-east is in place until 6am on Friday. |
| Heavy rain continuing across parts of the SE & E Anglia, leading to some tricky travelling conditions #londonstorm pic.twitter.com/dTfd2aNxGG | Heavy rain continuing across parts of the SE & E Anglia, leading to some tricky travelling conditions #londonstorm pic.twitter.com/dTfd2aNxGG |
| Forecaster Luke Miall said: “If you draw a line from The Wash to the Isle of Portland everything east of that is in the firing line. | Forecaster Luke Miall said: “If you draw a line from The Wash to the Isle of Portland everything east of that is in the firing line. |
| “A band of showers is coming across the English Channel and moving north-eastwards, that will bring some heavy downpours and localised surface flooding. There’s going to be a bit of hail in there too, so there’s quite a lot going on. | “A band of showers is coming across the English Channel and moving north-eastwards, that will bring some heavy downpours and localised surface flooding. There’s going to be a bit of hail in there too, so there’s quite a lot going on. |
| “If you’re in the south-east, you definitely need your umbrella and possibly a pair of Wellington boots.” | “If you’re in the south-east, you definitely need your umbrella and possibly a pair of Wellington boots.” |
| There were reports of flooded streets across the capital with roads in Battersea, south-west London, Barking in East London and Lewisham under several inches of water. | |
| This is the pavement that takes you to our polling station.............. #EURef ☔️🗳😳 pic.twitter.com/b9hEHmKQnu | |
| Louise March tweeted that there was serious flooding in the Longbridge Road area of Barking and she was concerned over her property insurance. | |
| She wrote: “I saw a car under water people helping to push it out if the water never seen this in the 15 years I’ve lived here.” | |
| The inclement weather is expected to be contained in the south-east, with much of the country seeing spells of fine and settled weather on Thursday. | The inclement weather is expected to be contained in the south-east, with much of the country seeing spells of fine and settled weather on Thursday. |
| Temperatures are expected to rise up to 20C (68F) across Wales and the north of England and southern Scotland, although Northern Ireland and the Western Isles could see some showers. | Temperatures are expected to rise up to 20C (68F) across Wales and the north of England and southern Scotland, although Northern Ireland and the Western Isles could see some showers. |
| Conditions are expected to improve for most on Friday, although showers will develop across western parts later on. | Conditions are expected to improve for most on Friday, although showers will develop across western parts later on. |