Flash floods warning to motorists as Met Office expects 70mm of rain in Cambs during rush hour

The Met Office is expecting between 60 and 70mm of rain to fall in Cambridgeshire between midnight and 1am tomorrow and a second band of rain, between 7am and 8am.

A fire service spokesman said: “Driving conditions could become dangerous during heavy downpours, due to decreased visibility and surface water on the roads.

“If flooding does occur to homes, residents are reminded that the fire service do not provide sandbags and that 999 should only be used if there is a threat to life.

“In addition, flood water in homes needs to be over six inches in order for pumping equipment to work effectively and there needs to be somewhere to pump the water to, so it won’t have an adverse impact to someone else’s property.”

The spokesman added that they don’t expect houses to be affected but residents are advised to listen for warnings on the radio and television.

The Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has issued the following advice.

• Don’t drive through standing water – as well as the water damaging your car, there may be hazards under the water you can’t see. If you see a sign to say that the road is closed due to flooding, remember the sign is there for a reason. Don’t try to drive through or you might get stuck.

• When driving, if heavy rain is making visibility difficult, pull over if possible.

• Remember that roads will be slippery during wet conditions.

• Listen out for warnings on radio and TV and phone Floodline 0845 988 118 for more information.

• If you know your home is at risk of flooding, prepare a list of useful phone numbers and keep it somewhere safe.

• If your home does start to flood, turn off your electricity supply.

• If you have an elderly or vulnerable family member or neighbour who is at risk of flooding, contact them to ensure they are prepared and know what to do should their home flood.

INFORMATION: For up to date flood alerts for Huntingdonshire visit www,environment-agency.gov.uk