Heavy rains caused flooding in large areas of London, including in the haredi neighborhood of Stamford Hill, where streets were flooded. Most of the residents were away on vacation and there are no casualties. It remains to be seen what damage to their property they will find when they return home.
Videos uploaded to social media showed the streets of Stamford Hill flooded with running water, with only buses and cars trying to make their way through the water that also covered the entrance to shops on the main streets in the neighborhood.
Just one week ago, the British Weather Authority warned about extreme heat that could cause health problems in some individuals. Some rivers even dried up during the heat wave. This was followed by a prediction of the heavy rains seen now, with multiple flood warnings.
Professor Hannah Cloke, an expert in hydrology at the University of Reading, told Metro.co.uk why rainfall leads to dangerous floods in cities when coming after a long drought. “If you get a heavy rain in a city, the drainage system can cope up to a point, but if there is really heavy rain it can overwhelm the system.”
“Water tends to find the lowest pathway,” she continued. “That is why it is of concern to the Tube and underground car parks and things like that.” In fact, some tube stations and highways were closed.
With the residents of Stamford Hill away on vacation, the question remains regarding the state in which they will find their ground-floor properties when they return. Another question: is their holiday now under the cloud of worry when they see the floods in their neighborhoods?