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Major flood as pump station fails Homes under water in flash floods
(20 minutes later)
Flooding has closed schools and damaged homes, business premises and pubs in towns and villages near the east coast. Homes have been left under water and schools and businesses forced to close after heavy rain brought flash flooding to parts of Suffolk and Norfolk
Heavy rainfall led to floods up to 5ft deep in Great Yarmouth, Caister, Hemsby and Stalham areas of Norfolk. More than 90 properties in Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk and Lowestoft, in Suffolk, have been affected, with some areas under 5ft of water.
Great Yarmouth railway station was closed and traffic on the A47 at Acle and the A149 at Caister has come to a standstill. Great Yarmouth railway station was closed and traffic was at a standstill.
Bus services were also affected and other roads blocked. Anglian Water said the area's pumping station had failed. The floods also caused one pump at a pumping station in Great Yarmouth to fail for two hours, Anglian Water said.
Anglian Water contractors were also working to pump out blocked drains and affected buildings. Emergency plan
Fire crews called A water company spokeswoman said: "The system is designed to cope with a certain amount of rain but it has been so heavy in the early hours that the network has been overwhelmed."
The water company has been checking the sewage treatment works in Caister in case it had experienced a serious overload. Police said flooding in the centre of Great Yarmouth was "extensive" and advised drivers to avoid the town.
Collette Nichols from Anglian Water said: "One of our two pumping stations serving the areas failed because of a blockage. Norfolk Fire Service received between 200 and 300 calls in four-and-a-half hours from people having flooding problems.
"We do not yet know whether this was caused by the volume of water but it was back in action by mid-morning." "An emergency plan has been put into operation, which involves the local authorities and emergency services, and we are thinking about shelters," Norfolk County Council spokesperson said.
Fire crews were called from as far away as Thetford to help pump out homes. Schools closed in Great Yarmouth include Cliff Park First and Middle, Great Yarmouth High, Greenacre First, Middle and Nursery and Northgate St Andrew.
The fire service's emergency call centre has asked people to stop dialling 999 as available crews are fully committed to dealing with floods.
Great Yarmouth schools closed include Cliff Park First and Middle, Great Yarmouth High, Greenacre First, Middle and Nursery and Northgate St Andrew.
Herman First and Middle in Gorleston are also shut.Herman First and Middle in Gorleston are also shut.