RAINS IN LONDON

Grey River Argus, 16 August 1937, Page 6

RAINS IN LONDON

End Long Dry Spell LONDON. August J 3 • London’s spell of dry weather with ■ high temperatures came to a sudden end to-day in thunderstorms, which resulted in severe flooding in many' districts, and caused considerable dislocation of traffic. Knightsbridge was flooded, at one time, to a depth of five feet, and wood-blocks in a stretch of roadway from the French Embassy- to the Egyptian legation were forced up so as to make the road impassable. The heavy afternoon traffic westwards was diverted through Belgrave Square. In the west of London un-der-ground railway traffic was also interrupted by the deluge, which) flooded the tracks where they emerge from the tunnels. The position is particularly bad at Acton and Eal-I ing, and the London Passenger Transport Board caused notices to be posted at all stations, warning passengers of the hold-ups in traffic west of Hammersmith. The rain fell with tropical violence in Barnet, and traffic was held up by the kerb-high floods. In the lowest part of the district, the drains could not cope with the storm water, and manhole covers blew up and water poured out in sixfeet high columns, flooding the houses. Kilburn was another district which suffered severely. Damage by lightning was slight, and the London Fire Brigade had only one call as a result of the storm, which raged round and over London for most of the morning and afternoon.