Heavy Rain and Flood Alerts Persist Across Leicestershire

Severe weather conditions have continued to affect Leicestershire, as the Met Office extended its yellow warnings for rain until Monday night. The region experienced significant downpours on Saturday night, leading to flash-flooding in various areas. Reports indicate that large banks of rain are moving northwest across the country, with a substantial amount targeting Leicestershire.

Flood alerts have been issued in several regions across the county, including Willow Brook, Saffron Brook, Aylestone Meadows, Anstey, and locations between Leicester and Loughborough along the River Soar and Rothley Brook. Meteorologist Phil Morrish, based in Rothley, reported that up to 61 millimeters of rain fell since Saturday afternoon, describing it as “more than a month’s rain in 24 hours.” He warned of continuing thundery showers into Sunday, eventually making way to light showers, before another bout of heavy rain anticipated on Monday morning.

Tom Mack, a local reporter, noted substantial property damage in Market Harborough as a result of the flooding, according to a post by Harborough District Council on X. While the council is not responsible for road drain maintenance, discussions have been initiated with the county council regarding the upkeep of drainage systems.

Furthermore, widespread power outages have been reported, affecting 303 properties in west Leicestershire. The cause of these outages has not been officially determined, but they coincide with the thunderstorms observed in the past 24 hours.

The Environment Agency has escalated its alert level, releasing a Flood Warning for areas around Whitwick, near Coalville. They reported rising river levels at Whitwick’s downstream gauge, with the most vulnerable areas being Whitwick and Thringstone. The agency advised residents to safeguard their possessions and relocate to safer grounds as a precaution against potential property flooding.

Photographs shared by local citizens illustrated unexpected rainstorms catching Leicester city shoppers off guard. The Mayor’s office and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service have been actively responding to calls and are prepared to address emergencies as they arise.

In response to drainage failures causing flooding at the junction of Hinckley Road and Narborough Road, Councillor Sarah Russell commented on the overwhelmed drainage system due to rapid rainfall. She remarked, “The bottom of Hinckley Road saw severe conditions, unprecedented compared to previous minor incidents.”

Leicestershire is bracing for more adverse weather, with community members encouraged to stay informed about updates from official channels and take necessary precautions against the inclement weather forecasted to persist for the next 48 hours.