Hundreds of flooding reports across Hertfordshire

Since 5am this morning fire control has received over 100 emergency calls to weather-related incidents, and is giving priority to those incidents where life and property are at risk.

Fire crews have also attended a major incident in Watford, in which two trains were halted by a landslide. Firefighters liaised with other services to ensure safety at the scene.

Hertfordshire County Council’s highways teams have been tackling incidents where roads and pavements drainage systems have been “overwhelmed” by the sheer amount of water falling. 50 of these had to be dealt with as emergencies, with the council’s highways contractor Ringway sending out teams to deal with the flooding.

Richard Thake, cabinet member for community safety at County Hall, said: “Our emergency teams coped extremely well with this sudden downpour and the huge surge in calls and I want to thank them for their professionalism under difficult circumstances.

“I was particularly impressed that, far from being overwhelmed, they were able to maintain emergency cover across the county while dealing with the flash floods as well as dealing with other incidents such as lightning strikes and road traffic collisions. I think this shows that we have some really capable people working in our emergency services and are well prepared for any eventuality the weather might bring.

“I am also aware that some schools have had to close due to weather-related issues. I’m sure that staff are working hard to ensure that the schools will be open as usual on Monday.”

Terry Douris, Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “The heavy rain overnight has inevitably caused flooding and very difficult conditions for drivers, especially after our recent spell of dry weather.

“It sounds obvious, but please allow extra time for journeys and don’t drive through flood water. Even fairly shallow water can cause serious damage to your car and just six inches can cause a car to lose control or stall.”

For more information on flooding, go to www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/flooding