London streets were yesterday left underwater and hospitals in crisis after torrential rains hit the capital, as forecasters predict more thunderstorms to continue.
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for storms covering the capital and some of the Home Counties where homes and businesses are at risk of flooding.
A yellow warning for storms which could cause travel and power disruption was issued to the south from Norwich to Plymouth.
Parts of south east England saw up to 50mm of rain in just an hour on Sunday afternoon while thousands of revellers enjoying the first full-capacity festival since Covid-19 missed the rain, with thunderstorms recorded to the west of Henham Park in Suffolk.
New Cross Road became 'a river' amid the heavy downpours, and video showed Pudding Lane tube station almost completely submerged.
Newham Hospital in east London revealed on Twitter that its emergency department had 'flooded in some areas', with those needing treatment were advised to attend a different hospital.
And a critical incident was declared at Whipps Cross, which reportedly lost power and backup generators. Staff at the hospital said on Twitter: 'We're currently experiencing operational issues due to the heavy rainfall. Please use an alternative A&E if possible. Thank you!'
A spokesperson for Barts Health NHS Trust said: 'We are experiencing operational issues at Whipps Cross Hospital and Newham Hospital due to the heavy rainfall. 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.'
Met Office rain gagessaw 34mm of rain at Sandhurst and 32mm at Wych Cross in East Sussex. An Environment Agency rain gage recorded 52mm of rainfall in an hour just west of Ashford.
Pictured: The scene at Pudding Lane Tube station, which is seen above totally submerged under water
Canary Wharf business park buildings seen through heavy rainfall as a mass storm passes over the city on Sunday afternoon
Lightning strikes near Canary Wharf business park buildings with a bolt appearing to hit Aragon Tower in south east London
A yellow warning for storms which could cause travel and power disruption also covers a wider area of the south from Norwich to Plymouth, and lasts until midnight
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for storms covering London and some of the Home Counties where homes and businesses are at risk of flooding, lasting until 7pm on Sunday
Met Office rain gages looking back over six hours saw 34mm of rain at Sandhurst and 32mm at Wych Cross in East Sussex. An Environment Agency rain gage recorded 52mm of rainfall in an hour just west of Ashford
The rain brought an end to the heatwave earlier this week, potentially disappointing anyone who hoped for a dry, sunny trip to the coast
Parts of south east England saw up to 50mm of rain in just an hour on Sunday afternoon as the area was battered by torrential thunderstorms and downpours (Pictured: People walking in Wimbledon Common, south west London, shelter from heavy showers under an umbrella)
Rain will cover much of the UK by Tuesday this week as the warmer weather comes to an end and the wet sets in
Two friends in summer dresses shield themselves with umbrellas to shelter themselves from the heavy rain showers which broke the week long heatwave in London
Met Office meteorologist Steven Keates said the storms are being caused by a 'convergence' of air currents, due to warmth in the earth's surface from the recent heatwave rising into cooler air in the atmosphere
Londoner Eddie Elliott cycled past the area outside Queenstown Road station, where he said the road had been 'totally shut down'.
'Having been born and raised in London, I have never seen anything quite like it,' the 28-year-old writer said.
'Stands out as the worst I've experienced personally... totally shut down the whole road with buses stood broken down in the water.'
Jamie Curtis said the roads near Clapham Common were blocked due to floodwater which was '12 to 18 inches deep'.
'(I've) not seen that level of flooding in London before,' he said.
Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy told constituents she could feel their pain - because her house was flooded too.
Met Office meteorologist Steven Keates said the storms are being caused by a 'convergence' of air currents, due to warmth in the earth's surface from the recent heatwave rising into cooler air in the atmosphere.
Firefighters look along Chigwell Road in south Woodford. The A406 travels above. Police have declared a 'major incident' in north-east London after heavy rainfall and thunderstorms caused flash flooding
The river Roding appears to have burst its banks close to the Charlie Brown roundabout below the A406 North Circular Road in South Woodford. Police have closed Chigwell Road either side of the roundabout
Walthamstow MP Stella Creasey told constituents she could 'share this pain' because her house had also been flooded
A cyclist rides through flood water in Horse Guards Road in central London
A woman walks through Parliament Square as heavy rain sweeps through central London
A toilet overflows on Pudding Lane, London, as the capital's infrastructure struggles to cope with the flooding
A street in Battersea, London, flooded from the rain. It comes after lightning set fire to houses in Andover, Hampshire, on Saturday morning, forcing residents to leave
There was a warning for heavy downpours and thunderstorms for southern England and South Wales from 8pm Friday and over the next two days with up to 2in (50mm) of rain expected within just a few hours. Pictured, another flooded street in Battersea
Wood Green High Street, in East London, taped off to the public as a result of flash flooding following heavy downpours
Parts of south east England saw up to 50mm of rain in just an hour on Sunday afternoon
Wood Green High Street in the aftermath of flash flooding. The heavy downpours are also expected to continue
A torrential downpour in East London.Leytonstone High Street in East London flooded after a torrential downpour
— with around 400,000 tourists heading to packed airports over the weekend and up to 2.3 million drivers set to hit the roads as the school holidays kicked off
Pedestrians sheltering underneath umbrellas in Wimbledon Village. The great British summer getaway began on Friday as the heatwave continued
It comes after lightning set fire to houses in Andover, Hampshire, on Saturday morning, forcing residents to leave.
Neighbours heard an 'enormous bang' as the strike set two homes ablaze on Mercia Avenue, and a 70-year-old woman was assessed by paramedics.
Kingston Police, who oversee a borough in the amber zone for storms, warned motorists to 'drive carefully' and remember they are 'not driving a submarine'.
The force said in a tweet: 'Please remember to drive carefully. Also remember that you're not driving a submarine. Do not enter what could possibly be deep water. Watch your speed and distance as stopping distances will be greater.'
A burst waterpipe next to Hammersmith Bridge, in West London
There was a warning for heavy downpours and thunderstorms for southern England and South Wales from 8pm Friday
Handout photo of in buses in flood water in Battersea, south London, after heavy rainfall hit the capital
A man walks through flood water in Horse Guards Road in central London. Thunderstorms bringing lightning and torrential rain to the south are set to continue until Monday
A pedestrian crosses through deep water on a flooded road in The Nine Elms district of London on July 25, 2021 during heavy rain. - Buses and cars were left stranded when roads across London flooded
A woman walks through a flooded path in St James's Park in central London. Kingston Police, who oversee a borough in the amber zone for storms, warned motorists to 'drive carefully' and remember they are 'not driving a submarine'
A car drives through water on a flooded road in The Nine Elms district on London on Sunday following hours of heavy rain in the capital
Two people shelter under the same umbrella as the walk through the grass at Wimbledon Common on the rainy Sunday afternoon
One parkgoer in Wimbledon shelters herself from the rain while her friend stands nearby while they walk through the Common on Sunday afternoon
Rain bounces off the pavements in central London as people shelter under umbrellas as the capital was battered with heavy rain and thunderstorms
Two friends in summer dresses shelter themselves from the rain during heavy showers which broke a weeklong heatwave where temperatures exceeded 30 degrees Celsius in London
Heavy rain pounds the streets in Soho, London. The capital city saw flash flooding as a result of extremely heavy downpours
Two people cuddle up under an umbrella on a walk through Wimbledon Village during the heavy rain showers on Sunday afternoon
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for storms covering London and some of the Home Counties where homes and businesses are at risk of flooding, lasting until 7pm on Sunday
Thunderstorms brought torrential downpours and localised flooding to parts of the south east on Sunday
The rain brought an end to the heatwave earlier this week, potentially disappointing anyone who hoped for a dry, sunny trip to the coast.
The rest of the country was forecast to experience a cloudy, more settled end to the week with sunshine expected in Scotland.
Temperatures are set to rise in most places again today as the storms clear, with the mercury predicted to reach 26C in London, 25C in Edinburgh, 24C in Cardiff, and 22C in Belfast.
The Met Office has predicted early cloud in some northern and eastern parts which will move up to Scotland, and sunny spells and scattered showers in most places throughout the day.
Last week Britons heading on staycations to campsites and caravan parks along the south coast were warned over incoming storms, hail and 55mph winds which were set to hit England on Friday evening and last throughout the weekend.
Traffic navigates its way through deep water on a flooded road in The Nine Elms district of London on Sunday during heavy rain
A car drives through deep water on a flooded road in The Nine Elms during the torrential downpour
A cyclist wades through deep water on a flooded road in The Nine Elms district of London on Sunday
Earlier today, blue skies covered the festival, with people wearing summer clothing as they watched Griff perform at Henham Park in Southwold
The great British summer getaway began on Friday as the heatwave continued — with around 400,000 tourists heading to packed airports over the weekend and up to 2.3 million drivers set to hit the roads as the school holidays kicked off.
The UK enjoyed another blast of heat on Friday before the torrential rain was forecast to set in, causing flooding, travel disruption and could even leave some areas 'cut off' this weekend as a month and a half's worth of rain was set to fall in just a few hours.
There was a warning for heavy downpours and thunderstorms for southern England and South Wales from 8pm Friday and over the next two days with up to 2in (50mm) of rain expected within just a few hours.
Latitude festivalgoers got to enjoy sets by Rudimental, Sea Girls, Nadia Rose and Kawala on Saturday evening with no masks or social distancing as tightly packed crowds of people danced along to upbeat music.
Latitude festivalgoers got to enjoy sets by Rudimental, Sea Girls, Nadia Rose and Kawala on Saturday evening with no masks or social distancing as tightly packed crowds of people danced along to upbeat music.
Thousands of revellers enjoying the first full-capacity festival since Covid-19 missed the rain for much of the afternoon, with thunderstorms recorded to the west of Suffolk
The heatwave which much of the UK enjoyed for the past week came to an end, as rain descended on the south of England during Latitude Festival
The four-day festival, which is part of the Government's Events Research Programme, is being attended by 40,000 people. Festivalgoers must show proof of a negative Covid-19 test or be double vaccinated to access the site at Henham Park in Suffolk which also boasts its own pop-up vaccination clinic
Earlier this week, Britons heading on staycations to campsites and caravan parks along the south coast were warned over incoming storms, hail and 55mph winds which were set to hit England on Friday evening and last throughout the weekend
The four-day festival, which is part of the Government's Events Research Programme, is being attended by 40,000 people.
Festivalgoers must show proof of a negative Covid-19 test or be double vaccinated to access the site at Henham Park in Suffolk which also boasts its own pop-up vaccination clinic.
Photographs show revellers taking a zen moment with a spot of yoga or a quick dip in the lake in between drinks and musical acts. For those who love comedy, a tent dedicated to British and Irish-based comics featured Kerry Godliman and Katherine Ryan.
Headliners The Chemical Brothers, Bastille and Bombay Bicycle Club were booked to perform at the event.
But the Standon Calling music festival was called off due to flooding.
The festival, which had been taking place in Hertfordshire, had a capacity of 15,000.
The Met Office had issued an amber warning for storms in the home counties on Sunday.
Eart Herts Police said in a statement: 'Due to serious flooding, promoters of the @StandonCalling music festival have sadly cancelled this year's event.
'We are working with the promoters to assist people with getting home safely or making other arrangements.'
Pictures of the festival on social media appeared to show large quantities of water and mud around the stages.
Standon Calling said on Twitter: 'Unfortunately due to flooding we will no longer be able to proceed with the festival.
'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.
Ticket holders can return today to collect their belongings, the festival added.
Primal Scream, Craig David, De La Soul and Sophie Ellis-Bextor were among the acts scheduled to play on Sunday.
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