UK weather: Roads flooded and trains cancelled as heavy rain hits evening rush hour

Flooded roads and cancelled trains have caused evening rush hour chaos for commuters as heavy rain, wind and thunder battered parts of the UK.

More than 50mm (2in) of rain fell in less than 12 hours in some areas – with London’s Liverpool Street station flooding.

Video posted online showed water pouring through the station ceiling, affecting services to Essex and East Anglia.

A Network Rail spokesman said: “[The flooding] caused several track circuit failures and we had to close several platforms at about 4.30pm while we worked to fix the issue.

“These platforms reopened shortly after 5pm, though there will be residual delays while we restore services.”

Met Office meteorologist Steven Keates said: “There’s been enough rainfall to cause some issues in a few places, and in the last couple of hours we have also seen some thunder in London, across central England and East Anglia.”

Earlier the Met Office warned of potential “danger to life” and issued a yellow weather warning for most of England, with up to 60mm (2.4in) of rain expected in places as heavy downpours move across the country.

But in a sign conditions may be easing, the Environment Agency (EA) has cut the number of flood warnings it has issued from 10 to four.

Three are for Whinney Brook in Merseyside, the other for the River Frome in Dorset. In these areas the agency said flooding is expected and “immediate action is required”.

Floods have been reported on roads in Southampton, Birmingham and Liverpool, while Transport for London said a number of roads across the capital were also affected.

Dorset Council said there had also been reports of “deep flooding” in parts of Dorchester.

The Met Office said its yellow warning for rain was in place until 10pm on Tuesday with “heavy rain likely, bringing some disruption from flooding”.

It warned people across the North of England, parts of North Wales, the Midlands, London and the South East that homes and businesses could be flooded, causing damage to some buildings.

Fast flowing or deep floodwater was possible, “causing a danger to life and some communities may be cut off by flooded roads”, the Met Office said.

A later update said heavy rain over northern England will ease, but forecast more showers and rain for other areas and gales along southern coasts.

Forecasters also warned of possible power cuts.

The wet weather arrived due to a burst of low pressure travelling across the UK, along with warm and humid air linked to the remnants of Hurricane Humberto which hit the Bermuda coastline last week.

Although the heavy rain is expected to clear by Wednesday, a low-pressure front is expected to remain for the rest of the week.

This will bring bright and breezy weather to the UK along with some showers or prolonged spells of rain.

(c) Sky News 2019: UK weather: Roads flooded and trains cancelled as heavy rain hits evening rush hour