Essex Warned Of Flash Floods Threat

Essex could be hit by flash floods overnight and on Tuesday, the Environment Agency and Met Office have warned.

The agencies said a band of heavy, thundery rain was set to drench certain parts of the country from the early hours onwards, with some potentially torrential downpours.

The rain could lead to localised flooding from surface water on roads and land if drains become blocked or overwhelmed, and homes and businesses could be flooded overnight.

Essex will be at risk of flash flooding from very early Tuesday morning through into the rush hour.

The Environment Agency said it was monitoring the situation closely and was encouraging local authorities and emergency services to prepare for the possibility of surface water flooding.

Local authorities should ensure drains are clear and prepare for disruption as a result of flooding.

Met Office spokeswoman Sarah Holland said: "There's some heavy rain and showers due to spread into southern counties overnight and into tomorrow morning.

"Some of these could be thundery at times. Although we're not expecting a tremendous amount of rainfall, there's been so much rain around recently we could see some surface water flooding.''

She said the band of rain would last from the early hours through to Tuesday lunchtime and would also affect the Midlands.