Summary

Watch: Why has it rained so much recently?

Live Reporting

Written by Alice Cunningham; edited by Andrew Woodger

  1. Is flooding linked to climate change?

    Mark Poynting
    Climate and environment researcher

    Flood water on the A421 in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire. The dual carriageway abruptly ends and instead resembles a river. A worker and a Highways vehicle are nearbyPA Media

    It's not yet possible to quantify exactly how much of a role climate change has played in the heavy rainfall affecting much of England and Wales.

    That requires a full scientific analysis of natural and human causes, which can take weeks or months.

    But such episodes of intense rainfall have been getting more common as the UK’s climate changes.

    According to the Met Office, the UK appears to be getting more “very wet days” – the term used to describe days with at least 10mm (0.4in) of rain.

    And scientists at the World Weather Attribution group found that the amount of rainfall on the stormiest days last winter was about 20% higher due to human-caused climate change.

    Warmer air can hold more moisture – about 7% for every 1C of temperature rise. This extra moisture can lead to heavier rainfall.

  2. 'Absolutely gutted'

    Flooding in Clophill around the River Flit has threatened homes and businesses.

    A Business owner in Clophill, Bedfordshire, near the River Flit, tells BBC Three Counties the impact the flooding has had on his livelihood. A resident calls the situation 'apocalyptic'.

  3. 'Really, really draining'

    Kate Bradbrook
    BBC Look East

    Viki Drury, a massage therapist and owner for Rejuvenated Therapy in Dunstable, is pictured in her premises. She is wearing a black top with her brown hair tied up.Kate Bradbrook/BBC

    Viki Drury, a massage therapist and owner of Rejuvenated Therapy in Dunstable High Street, told the BBC she saw water, soil and debris flood into her business over the weekend.

    She said it suffered numerous bouts of flooding that she attempted to stop.

    "There's nothing you can do, you just have to stand and wait for the water to subside so you can come in and clean up again," she explained.

    "[I am] tired - physically, emotionally, it's draining.

    "You can't give up, you have to keep going, but that's really, really draining."

  4. More pictures of the A421 'river'

    Tony Fisher
    BBC Three Counties Radio

    The A421 at the Marston Moretaine Interchange. The picture shows the road completely submerged with water and it looks like a river itself.Tony Fisher/BBC

    More pictures have shown the state of the A421 at the Marston Moretaine Interchange.

    The road remains closed and is now looking like a river itself.

    A photos shows the flooded A421 road from a side angle. Vehicles can be seen in the distance avoiding the flood water.Tony Fisher/BBC

  5. More than 80 calls to fire service

    A photo shows a Northamptonshire road late at night that has flooded. Water can be seen covering the entirety of the road while a vehicle's lights shine on the affected area. A road sign can be seen and the grass verged are still visible.Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service

    Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said it received 81 calls over the weekend related to weather incidents.

    Of those, 28 required the fire service to attend while the other 53 cases were able to receive advice over the phone.

    The fire service said in one instance, a Moulton crew pumped out 50,000 litres of flood water in the open at Kingscroft Court on Sunday morning.

    The same day, shortly before 13:00 BST, crews from Wellingborough and Moulton were called to Washbrook Road in Rushden where lightning had struck the chimney of a domestic property.

    The strike caused the structure to become dangerous and crews had to remove loose bricks from it to make it safe.

    Just after 20:00, two people were also rescued and walked out of flood water on Easton Way in Grendon, the fire service said.

  6. 'Road in Bedford looks more like a river'

    Nicky Shiller

    A road fully submerged by water - with just signs of a normal road towards the top of the photo

    I've been in the Bedfordshire village of Marston Moretaine where the A421, the main road between Bedford and Milton Keynes, has been closed because of flooding.

    The road looks more like a river.

    From my vantage point on a bridge over the road, I can see a submerged car with what looks like its boot open, which shows just how deep the water is in this spot.

    People have been coming to look at the impact of floods, with one man telling me he had to see it with his own eyes.

    As well as the road, the rail line from Bedford to Bletchley was shut as a result of floods.

  7. Reactions to the flooding: 'First time ever know it this bad'

    Reporters, a resident, a councillor and a Bedfordshire MP react to the deluge of water.

    We spoke to BBC reporters Toby Friedner and Ollie Bayliss, Shirley who called in from Marston Mortaine, Independent leader of Central Bedfordshire Council, Adam Zerney, and Labour MP for Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard, Alex Mayer.

  8. Assistance centre opened to affected residents

    Central Bedfordshire, which is one of the worst hit areas, has an assistance centre now open to help affected residents.

    The council has opened it in Leighton Buzzard at the Meadow May Community Centre.

    A spokesperson for the authority added its leisure centres remained open and could be used by anyone who needed temporary relief from a flooded home or other assistance.

    "If you or someone you know is vulnerable and needs assistance, contact our emergency helpline number on 0300 300 8500. Please note, this is not to request sandbags or aquasacs," a council spokesperson said.

  9. Flooding in Buckinghamshire

    A photo taken from the side of a road in Buckinghamshire. It shows the road partially flooded while a van sits at the side of the road. It is raining and the flood water has in parts broken onto pavements.Sophie Sulehria

    Photos sent in by Sophie Sulehria show flooding in Chalfont St Peter in Buckinghamshire.

    Water can be seen across the width of the road and pavement.

    A different view of the Buckinghamshire road that has been flooded. It shows about 100 metres worth of flooding on the road.Sophie Sulehria

  10. 'Only travel if you need to'

    Central Bedfordshire Council has told residents to "only travel if you need to" during the bad weather.

    Residents were also urged to avoid walking, cycling or driving through flood water.

    "We ask that people don’t ignore flood warning or road closure signs, and if you are driving through shallow water, it’s very important to do so slowly as it can push water into people’s homes," a spokesperson for the authority said in a statement."We will begin conducting a full impact assessment today and continue to check on and support those residents in most need."

  11. 'I saw the river burst and come towards me'

    A photo taken from inside Tim Maher's home that was flooded in Northamptonshire. He is pictured on the phone looking out of the window while flood water lies around him. A mop can be seen sat against the wall while boxes of items sit on the sofas.PA Media

    A Northamptonshire man described the moment he saw a "wave of water" heading towards him during flooding on Sunday night.

    Tim Maher and his partner Carol Findon, from Grendon, saw their two-storey home partially submerged overnight with more than a foot of water.

    He explained a river level app on his phone at 20:45 alerted him to rising levels nearby.

    Carol Maher is pictured dipping a mop into flood water outside her house Grendon. She is looking toward the camera while wearing Wellington boots and warm clothing.PA Media

    "I decided to drive down to the bridge and saw the water breaking the banks and coming down the road towards me," he said.

    "I quickly turned around, drove home and put up a flood barrier we've got up against the door.

    "It kept out a lot of the water, but we've had about an inch overnight."

    Mr Maher said their home had suffered damage and it would likely be difficult to dry everything out.

    "We haven't had much sleep and at least eight houses on our road have been impacted. It would be nice to get a permanent solution to this problem," he added.

  12. Luton park underwater

    Helen Mulroy
    BBC News, Bedfordshire

    The picture shows Luton's Wardown Park and children's play area submerged in water. Playing equipment can be seen which is behind a fence.Helen Mulroy

    Luton's Wardown Park, just off the A6 New Bedford Road, has been badly affected by flooding.

    The park is partially submerged, including the play area, paths and green spaces.

    A wider photo of Wardown Park in Luton shows the public toilets also surrounded by water. The playground can be seen in the distance under water.Helen Mulroy
    A photo shows a public footpath through Wardown Park in Luton that is lined with trees and leaves on the ground. The path has been partially submerged in the distance by flood water.Helen Mulroy

  13. 260 reports of flooding in Hertfordshire

    A heat map of Hertfordshire shows the density of enquiries the emergency services took during the bad weather over the county. It shows a few dark red spots that indicate those areas that saw the most enquiries while there are other orange and yellow spots that saw less enquiries. Small blue dots on the map indicate where 260 flood enquiries were taken as well as green spots where trees had fallen.Hertfordshire County Council

    Hertfordshire County Council said its highways team, as well as the county's fire and rescue service, had received in total 260 reports of flooding since the start of the weekend.

    Letchworth, Hitchin, Harpenden and St Albans were the worst affected areas.

    Phil Bibby, executive member for highways at the council, said the teams had "responded brilliantly" to the challenges.

    "I’d like to thank residents for promptly reporting issues to us over the past few days and for their ongoing patience as we continue to respond," he said.

    "This is a timely opportunity for us to remind them of the risks of weather like this and the precautionary steps they can take to protect their own property and stay safe and well as they move around the county."

  14. 'Take care,' says fire service

    Firefighters are seen wading through a flooded road in Northamptonshire. They are wearing specialist water uniforms with lifejackets and helmets. A stranded car can be seen in the distance with its hazard lights on.Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service

    Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service's area manager, Neil Sadler, has urged people to "take care" in floods.

    "There may be abandoned cars on the road and hazards under the water that aren’t visible," he said.

    "We ask people to keep listening to forecasts and follow the safety messages and advice shared by the fire service and other partners."

    He urged drivers to consider whether they could reschedule their journeys.

  15. River bursts its banks and floods cricket pitch

    The photos show the River Flit which has burst its banks. Water can be seen flooded around the area and onto a nearby cricket pitch. A bench has been submerged in the water.Gail Sanderson

    Further upstream from our previous post, the River Flit has burst its banks between Westoning and Flitwick, near the A5120.

    Photos sent to us by Gail Sanderson from the nearby Flitwick Cricket Club show the flooded pitch.

  16. Rising water levels at river in Bedfordshire

    River threatening to overflow in Shefford. You can see the river approaching the banks, near some houses.Tony Fisher/BBC

    The River Flit is continuing to rise at Shefford in Bedfordshire

    The Environment Agency has measured the river as being nearly twice its normal height.

    As of 11:00 it measured 1.04m (3.4ft) - it's normal range is 0.16-0.72m (0.5-2.36ft).

    The river is continuing to rise and is already at what is considered a high level.

    Should the river go above 1.13m (3.7ft) there would be a risk of flooding to nearby properties, the agency suggests.

    The river joins the River Ivel, which in turn joins the Great Ouse near St Neots, flowing onwards to The Wash in Norfolk.

    Water from the river has risen, beginning to take up part of a path and bottom of a sign.Tony Fisher/BBC
    The river is rising, you can see some bricks below a path at the bank of the river, next to some houses.Tony Fisher/BBC

  17. Some vehicles stranded on M1 junction

    An orange and white bus struggling to get through part of a flooded road.Nicola Haseler/BBC

    In Hertfordshire, at junction nine of the M1 near Harpenden (Friars Wash Interchange) some vehicles appear to be stranded in flood water.

    While others seem to be struggling to get through.

    Cars and vans have become stranded in flood water at junction nine of the M1.Nicola Haseler/BBC
    A blue van stopped in flood water at junction nine of the M1.Nicola Haseler/BBC

  18. Roads immersed in flood water

    A van driving in flood water on Hardwater Road near WellingboroughPA Media

    In some parts of Northamptonshire some roads look more like shallow rivers, such as the aptly named Hardwater Road, south of Wellingborough, which passes between Grendon Lakes and the Summer Leys Nature Reserve.

    National Highways advises motorists not to drive through flood water due to the potential of hidden hazards.

    It also advises a range of safety measures to take when driving in wet conditions.

    A white van driving in flood water on Hardwater Road near WellingboroughPA Media

  19. Tractor to the rescue

    A man in Wellington boots, standing next to a red and black tractor.PA Media

    In Grendon, Northamptonshire a tractor was seen pulling a vehicle that had become stuck in flood water

  20. Rising number of school closures

    Thirteen schools in Central Bedfordshire have now been closed, and five schools in the Bedford Borough area.