Flash floods across London cause travel chaos

Flash floods have caused travel chaos in the capital as a number of London train and tube stations were forced to close.

Euston Station lines had to be shut down after the intense downpours on Monday evening, with people unable to travel in or out of the city via the major transport hub.

Underground stations, including Chalk Farm and Hampstead stations in north London and Wimbledon in the south, have also drawn their barriers due to the heavy rainfall.

One video posted on Twitter shows water pouring in down the stairs at Sloane Square tube station.

Cars were also filmed struggling to make their way through streets that appear to have turned into rivers after several inches of rainwater.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “The line between Watford Junction and Euston has been closed and engineers are on site inspecting the track as the water recedes. As soon as it is safe to do so, we will have trains on the move again.

“We would advise anyone travelling this evening to check with their train operator or the National Rail Enquiries website for the latest information.”

The flooding problems appear to be concentrated in south west and north west London, including boroughs such as Richmond and Kingston.

Residents in a number of areas such as South Hampstead, West Hampstead, Raynes Park, Friern Barnet, Isleworth and Wimbledon have taken to social media to post videos of the scenes and expressing shock at finding whole roads in their neighbourhoods submerged underwater.

Pictures have also emerged of people swimming in ponds created by the thunderstorms on Primrose Hill.

In South End Green, firefighters were called to help carry some walkers to safety across roads that had been flooded by water pouring off Hampstead Heath.

London Fire Brigade said it had taken more than 1,000 calls related to flooding.

A spokesperson for the service said: “We’re asking people not to walk through or drive through the flood water. Flood water can be contaminated and vehicles can become unstable.

“We’re also asking people to look out for their neighbours and look out for weather warnings in their area.”

Elsewhere in the UK, Preston has also been affected by flooding with a section of the M6 having to be closed to traffic for some time on Monday afternoon. It has since reopened.

There have been reports of a pub being flooded and the local Penwortham Girls’ High School will be shut on Tuesday due to “significant flooding”, according to its statement.