London flooding news – live: Tube travel chaos after parts of capital receive month of rain in one day

Follow the latest updates below

London roads are underwater after torrential rain

Flash flooding battered parts of London on Monday, causing delays and cancellations on the Underground network after it was calculated that a month’s worth of rain fell in parts of the capital in a single day.

Kew, in southwest London, experienced 47.8mm of rain, most of it in just one hour. The area’s average monthly rainfall in July is 44.5mm. It makes Monday the wettest day in Kew since 6 July 1983 and the third wettest day on record, according to analysis by the BBC.

While eight TfL lines were affected last night, this number had reduced to four by Tuesday with suspensions and delays said to be impacting the Circle, Hammersmith and City, District and Overground lines.

Elsewhere, there were reports of floods in Preston, northern England, and Dorset in the southwest of the country.

• Flash floods in London after torrential rain batters capital
• London roads underwater after torrential rain causes flooding

Key points

• Parts of London saw month of rain in 24 hours on Monday – report
• Brian May blames Kensington and Chelsea council for flooded home
• London sun to return in time for weekend, says meteorologist
• Tory MP ‘in contact’ with Thames Water over Kensington flooding
• TV presenter blames ‘wet wipes’ for damage caused by flooding
• Update on London Underground disruptions today

[13 July 2021 08:12 · Sam Hancock]

TV presenter blames ‘wet wipes’ for damage caused by flooding

Kirstie Allsopp, best known for co-presenting the Channel 4 property show Location, Location, Location, appears to believe wet wipes are the reason for the “£millions of damage” caused by flash flooding in London.

In a tweet, she advised the government to ban their use “immediately”.

It comes after reports suggested drains and sewers burst on Monday night, contributing to roads and train tracks becoming waterlogged in various parts of London - most prominently north and southwest.

[13 July 2021 07:59 · Sam Hancock]

Breakdown of London Underground disruptions today

Transport for London (TfL) said these are the delays and suspensions to watch out for on the capital’s tube network this morning.

Circle - suspended

There is no service due to flooding on the track at Royal Oak. Underground tickets will be accepted on local bus services via any reasonable route.

District - part suspended and severe delays

Currently no service from Turnham Green, Richmond and Earl’s Court to Edgware Road / South Kensington while signalling issues caused by flooding at Gunnersbury are resolved.

Severe delays on the rest of the line, meaning London Underground tickets will be accepted on London Buses, C2C and South Western Railway. “Please use other routes to complete your journey if possible,” TfL advised.

Hammersmith and City - part suspended

Again no service, this time between Hammersmith and Edgware Road due to flooding on the track at Royal Oak. But there is good service on the rest of the line.

London Overground - part suspended, severe and minor delays

There is no service from Camden Road to Richmond / Shepherds Bush and Euston to Kilburn High Road while infrastructure damaged by flooding is repaired.

Severe delays are being experienced from Kilburn High Road to Watford Junction and Barking to Gospel Oak.

Meanwhile, there are minor delays from Highbury & Islington to West Croydon / Crystal Palace / Clapham Junction and Clapham Junction to Shepherds Bush.

All other lines have good services, according to TfL.

[13 July 2021 07:45 · Sam Hancock]

Footage of Sloan Square tube station flooded

[13 July 2021 07:45 · Sam Hancock]

Flash floods in London see tubes suspended and stations closed

London was hit by a series of flash floods after heavy rain pelted the capital on Monday.

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

Underground stations, including Hampstead stations in north London and Wimbledon in the south, were forced to draw their barriers due to the heavy rainfall. One video posted on Twitter shows water pouring in down the stairs at Sloane Square’s station, reports Charlene Rodrigues.

[13 July 2021 07:41 · Sam Hancock]

Hello and welcome to The Independent’s rolling coverage on the floods affecting travel in London. Stay tuned as we update you on tube delays and closures after stations were left overflowing with water.