Significant Flooding Hits Birmingham as Thunderstorms Sweep Across UK

Severe thunderstorms have caused significant flooding in Birmingham, with homes, businesses and roads affected as heavy rain continues across large parts of England and Wales.

Emergency services were called to serious flooding around Perry Barr on Wednesday night and into Thursday morning, with incidents reported around Curbar Road, Thornbridge Avenue and Haddon Road.

West Midlands Fire Service deployed crews to the affected area alongside West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council.

Images and video from Birmingham showed roads submerged by flood water, while vehicles were reported stranded in some areas.

Flooding was also reported around Queslett Road and other parts of the north of the city.

The Environment Agency issued a flood warning for Perry Brook at Perry Barr on Wednesday evening after high river levels created a risk to properties and roads between Queslett Road and Haddon Road.

The warning specifically identified areas around Trehurst Avenue, Chevril Close, Haddon Road and the Bowling Green as potentially affected.

That flood warning was removed at 6:43am on Thursday after the immediate threat reduced, although standing water and debris could remain.

The wider severe-weather risk has not completely passed.

The Environment Agency’s national flood service reported dozens of flood alerts across England on Thursday, with local flooding from surface water and rivers still possible in some areas.

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A yellow thunderstorm warning covering Wales and a large part of England remains in force on Thursday.

The Met Office says a broad band of thunderstorms and heavy rain is moving north across England and Wales, with some areas potentially experiencing slow-moving storms.

Rainfall totals of between 20mm and 30mm in an hour are possible locally, while between 30mm and 40mm could fall relatively widely within the warning area.

There is also a small chance that some locations could receive more than 50mm of rain within three hours and more than 75mm over a 12-hour period.

Lightning and hail measuring between 1cm and 2cm are also among the potential hazards.

The warning area includes parts of the Midlands, North West, South West, East of England, London and the South East, as well as large areas of Wales.

The sudden flooding comes after an unusually hot and dry summer across much of the country, demonstrating that dry ground does not remove the risk of flash flooding when intense rainfall arrives over a short period.

People in affected areas are being advised not to walk, cycle or drive through flood water.

Drivers should be particularly cautious because the depth and strength of moving flood water can be difficult to judge, while submerged roads may also conceal damaged surfaces or other hazards.

The Environment Agency is continuing to monitor river levels and advises people in potentially affected areas to check current flood warnings rather than relying on earlier information, as conditions can change quickly during thunderstorms.

Further showers are expected as the unsettled weather continues, although the flood risk is forecast to reduce in many areas going into Friday.

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