The London Fire Brigade assured panicked residents calling emergency services that they were “working as quickly and as safely as they can to respond to calls” after floodwaters caused by recent heavy rain rushed through its streets in what The Daily Mail described as “a matter of hours.” Flood warnings had been issued for parts of northern England and Wales on Wednesday as the tail end of Hurricane Lee made landfall, and the U.K. is expected to suffer another dumping later in the week thanks to Hurricane Nigel. On Wednesday, the London Fire Brigade urged people to stay off the roads and confirmed both houses and roads were affected. “We’re receiving numerous calls about flooding across London this evening with roads and properties affected,” it wrote in one tweet. “A foot of moving water at just 6mph is enough to float a car. Always try and find an alternative route,” it urged in another. One panicked resident said he had “never seen anything like this.”
We're receiving numerous calls about flooding across London this evening with roads and properties affected.
Crews are working as quickly and as safely as they can to respond to calls.
