Flood warnings issued for parts of Kent
17:06, 30 January 2021
updated: 17:09, 30 January 2021
Flood warnings and alerts have been issued this afternoon as rain continued across the county.
Two flood warnings - where flooding is expected and immediate action is required - and 18 alerts - where flooding is possible - are in place for various parts of Kent.
A warning has been issued by the Environment Agency for The River Stour at Grove Ferry and Plucks Gutter, near Sarre.
A statement said: "Following several days of sustained rainfall the peak river level is making its way down through the tidal Stour. The high tide tonight will coincide with this fluvial peak between 1am and 2am. We believe there is a possibility of flooding to affect some properties around Grove Ferry and Plucks Gutter."
They said incident response staff were monitoring the situation closely. High tide levels are forecast to be higher, especially the one in the small hours of Monday morning.
That warning followed an earlier one, when the Environment Agency said flooding of property, roads and low lying land was expected for Scrapsgate Drain and Warden Bay Drain on the Isle of Sheppey.
The warning said: "River levels have risen as a result of heavy rainfall over the last two days.
"We expect flooding to affect properties on and around Broadway Road and Minster Park near the Scrapsgate Drain and areas on and near Warden Bay Road from the Warden Bay Drain.
"Further rainfall is forecast until late afternoon today. We expect river levels to remain high this afternoon and begin to fall from tomorrow."
It continued: "We are closely monitoring the situation. Our incident response staff are liaising with emergency services and our partners and clearing trash screens. Our incident response staff are prepared to respond if required."
A lower level flood alert - where people are warned to be prepared - was in place for rivers on the Isle of Sheppey, and The River Darent from Westerham to Dartford, including Brasted, Sundridge, Chipstead, Dunton Green, Otford, Eynsford and South Darenth.
Another is in force in the New Romney area.
The Environment Agency said flooding was possible for The New Romney Sewage Arm from the sewage treatment works to the sea and from Littlestone Road to the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, including New Romney, as as result of river levels rising in the area around Greatstone pump.
Visit the GOV.UK website to see the current flood warnings and view advice on what to do before, during and after a flood by clicking here.
You can also call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 using quickdial code: 217015. Also follow @EnvAgency and #floodaware on Twitter.
