After floods…prepare for rats! Warning rodents desperate for food could make their way inside people’s homes after deluge
Households are being warned about the dangers of increased rodent activity caused by recent flooding.
Pest control body the National Pest Technicians Association is urging the public to keep food and waste secure, and check properties for any gaps, cracks, or holes where rodents scavenging for food could enter.
With rodents’ usual food sources being disrupted by flooding, current weather patterns have created the ideal conditions for rodents to make their way inside homes and businesses.
This comes after further torrential rain across Britain today caused more travel chaos as the rain left rail lines underwater, drivers stranded on submerged motorways and schools closed.
Households are being warned about the dangers of increased rodent activity caused by recent flooding. A general view showing a flooded street in Hitchen, Britain (today)
As rodents’ usual food sources being disrupted by flooding, current weather patterns have created the ideal conditions for rodents to make their way inside homes and businesses. Pictured: a drone images show a flooded street and houses in Hitchen, Britain
Pest control body the National Pest Technicians Association is urging the public to keep food and waste secure, and check properties for any gaps, cracks, or holes where rodents scavenging for food could enter
This comes after further torrential rain across Britain today caused more travel chaos as the rain left rail lines underwater, drivers stranded on submerged motorways and schools closed
NPTA technical manager Grahame Turner said: ‘Floods can cause these spaces to become waterlogged and lead to the rodents being flushed from their normal habitat. They will seek refuge in drier, elevated areas such as homes’
NPTA technical manager Grahame Turner said: ‘Rats and mice will often live in burrows underground, and rats will also live in drains and sewers.
‘Floods can cause these spaces to become waterlogged and lead to the rodents being flushed from their normal habitat.
‘They will seek refuge in drier, elevated areas such as homes, offices, and commercial properties including, of course, food businesses.
‘This increases the likelihood of infestations in places that might not typically experience rodent problems.’
Mr Turner added: ‘Understanding how weather impacts rodent behaviour, and taking proactive steps to rodent-proof your property, can help protect your home or business from infestations.
‘Badly constructed, poorly maintained or damaged drains and pipes can act as entry points, bringing rodents straight into your property.’
Trains going through Shropshire were blocked by flooding at Wellington station, which was left looking more like a Venice canal after heavy rain deluged the tracks.
Flooding also blocked services to and from Aberystwyth in West Wales, as well as on the Chiltern Main Line in Oxfordshire between Banbury and Bicester North.
Trains between Peterborough and London King’s Cross were delayed due to flooding – while London[3] Northwestern Railway trains between Bletchley and Bedford were axed until at least next week following severe waterlogging on parts of the route.
A drone image shows a flooded street and houses in Hitchen today
Floods near Oxford, these are pictures of the river Cherwell just north of Oxford city after heavy rain today
Further torrential rain across Britain caused more travel chaos today. Here caravan site in Cogenhoe, West Northamptonshire, has flooded
Tanker trucks work to remove floodwater covering the A421 dual carriageway in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire
Sight-seers watch on as they wait for the water to be cleared from the road in Marston
A drone shot captured the extent of the flooding from above
A car navigates a flooded road in Northampton as many roads have closed due to torrential downpours
In Gloucestershire, Avon Fire and Rescue Service worked with National Highways to rescue people stranded on the M5 after heavy rainfall swamped the motorway.
The road was shut northbound between J16 and J14 and southbound between J14 and J15 this morning as emergency services tried to clear the deluge.
And the A421 in Bedfordshire was expected to remain closed today between the A6 and M1 near Marston Moretaine, as floodwater continued to be pumped out.
Several schools in Bedfordshire and Birmingham[4] were closed today; the pitch at AFC Telford’s Seah Stadium in Shropshire was left underwater and the Bristol South Swimming Pool was closed after heavy rain damaged the roof.
Fire crews evacuated 20 flood-hit residents from Hitchin in Hertfordshire, while a driver was rescued after his BMW became submerged in Hall Green, Birmingham.
In Northamptonshire, 35 people were rescued from rising flood waters at a caravan park in Yarwell.
The Environment Agency had 63 flood warnings in place for England this morning, meaning flooding is expected, and 113 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible.
In addition, a new warning has been issued for Sunday for strong winds of up to 60mph which may cause disruption across the South West of England and Wales.
Waves crash against the lighthouse in Seaham Harbour in County Durham this morning
People walk with their dogs during a downpour on Wimbledon Common in London today
Staff clean the floodwater and mud away at AFC Telford’s Seah Stadium this morning
Flooding by the boundary at the Cloud County Ground in Chelmsford, Essex, this morning
A man’s umbrella is blown inside out during a downpour on Millennium Bridge in London today
Vehicles negotiate debris from a tree on the North Circular road in London during heavy rain
A tree has been blown onto a car and van in the West Sussex village of Sompting this morning
Tankers are removing floodwater from the A421 near Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, today
A person jumps over a puddle on Euston Road in London today following more heavy rain
Trains going through Shropshire are blocked by flooding at Wellington station this morning
Met Office maps show today’s temperatures (left) and the ‘feels like’ temperatures (right)
Parts of England continued to be lashed by heavy rain this morning with a yellow rain warning in place for southern England, the Midlands and Wales in place until 9am.
School closures in England today
Bedfordshire
- Marston Vale Middle School, Stewartby
- Sharnbrook Academy, Sharnbrook
- Lincroft Academy, Oakley
- Hockliffe Lower School, Leighton Buzzard
West Midlands
- Bournville School, Birmingham
- St Laurence Church Junior School, Northfield
- Victoria School, Northfield
- Longwill School for Deaf Children
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The Met Office warned of cancelled trains, power cuts, flooded homes, spray on roads, communities becoming cut off and ‘fast flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life’.
It comes after an amber warning for central areas of England expired at 6am.
Areas affected by the amber warning – including Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and the West Midlands – were struck by flash floods as the Met Office warned the regions could see up to 40mm (1.6in) of rainfall within three hours.
Cambridge has an average monthly rainfall of 47.61mm for September.
But the wet weather is expected to finally ease into this afternoon.
Meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said northern and central parts of England and Wales had been hit hardest by the downpours.
He said: ‘There will continue to be localised flooding. A lot of these areas have been hit by rain in the past few weeks which means the ground is already saturated.
‘The amber warning is in place until 6am and the wider yellow warning will be lifted at 9am. We’re expecting it to then ease up and become a bit drier.
‘But rivers often take time to respond so we’re expecting disruption to continue in central and southern parts throughout the morning.
The pitch at AFC Telford’s Seah Stadium in Shropshire was left underwater this morning
A BMW driver was rescued after his became submerged in the Hall Green area of Birmingham
People walk with their dogs during a downpour on Wimbledon Common in London today
A man walks in the rain near Tower Bridge in London this morning during a torrential downpour
Tankers are removing floodwater from the A421 near Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, today
Waves crash against the lighthouse in Seaham Harbour in County Durham this morning
A flooded treatment room at AFC Telford’s Seah Stadium this morning after heavy rainfall
Floodwater on Euston Road in London today following more heavy rain in the capital
A car is driven through a flooded country lane in Dunsden, Oxfordshire, today after more rain
Waves crash against the lighthouse in Seaham Harbour in County Durham this morning
A van is driven through a flooded country lane in Dunsden, Oxfordshire, today after more rain
A man walks in the rain near Tower Bridge in London this morning during a torrential downpour
Horse riders brave a torrential downpour on a waterlogged Wimbledon Common today
A person walks through a puddle on Euston Road in London today following more heavy rain
Waves crash against the lighthouse in Seaham Harbour in County Durham this morning
A tree has been blown onto a car and van in the West Sussex village of Sompting this morning
Tankers are removing floodwater from the A421 near Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, today
A cyclist rides through a puddle on Euston Road in London today after more heavy rain
A man’s umbrella is blown inside out during a downpour Central London this morning
‘Those planning to travel on Friday should factor this into their journey times.’
Councils and emergency services in Northamptonshire and Hertfordshire confirmed a number of road closures and told residents they were working to keep people safe.
Tewkesbury Borough Council in Gloucestershire has been handing out sandbags to residents to help protect their homes against flooding.
At least four schools closed in Bedfordshire today – Hockliffe Lower School in Leighton Buzzard; Marston Vale Middle School in Stewartby; Lincroft Academy in Oakley; and Sharnbrook Academy.
A message on the latter’s Facebook page said: ‘URGENT – SCHOOL CLOSURE TODAY – We have made the decision to close Sharnbrook Academy to all students today.
Trains going through Shropshire are blocked by flooding at Wellington station this morning
Flooded tracks at Wellington station in Shropshire this morning which has blocked the line
Trains going through Shropshire are blocked by flooding at Wellington station this morning
Avon Fire and Rescue Service worked with National Highways to rescue people stranded on the M5 in Gloucestershire this morning after heavy rainfall flooded the motorway
The M5 in Gloucestershire was shut northbound between J16 and J14 and southbound between J14 and J15 this morning as emergency services tried to clear the flooding
‘Three out of the four routes into the village are currently closed and there are extensive road closures in operation on local routes.
‘A significant number of staff and students are unable to safely get to school. Rain continues this morning and flood warnings remain in place.
‘We will be in touch later this morning with further updates. We are very sorry for the inconvenience and disruption this will cause.’
And Lincroft Academy said on X that the school was closed ‘due to extensive local flooding making travel routes into Oakley unsafe and impassable to staff and students with some on site flooding’, adding: ‘The area is on red alert for flooding with continued rain expected.’
Meanwhile Marston Vale Middle School tweeted: ‘An urgent announcement is now going out to all pupils, parents and carers and staff. Due to flooding, our school will be closed today.
‘Unfortunately the bus company has already cancelled the buses and Stewartby is fairly inaccessible, as are parts of our school.’
In the Birmingham area, at least four schools were closed – Bournville School and then another three in the nearby Northfield area: St Laurence Church Junior School; Victoria School; and Longwill School for Deaf Children.
It comes after flooding in Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire this week has brought widespread travel disruption and damage to properties.
Parts of the country saw twice the monthly average rainfall in 48 hours earlier this week, with flash flooding damaging homes on Monday and disrupting travel.
AFC Wimbledon were due to play Newcastle in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday but it was called off and rescheduled after the Cherry Red Records Stadium in South West London was hit by flooding and appeared to have a sinkhole in the pitch.
Firefighters and police also worked late into Tuesday night to evacuate residents after flooding at the Billing Aquadrome holiday park. There were further downpours on Wednesday evening.
The Environment Agency said about 385 properties were flooded in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Kent and the Home Counties.
Woburn in Bedforshire has had its wettest month on record with more than four times the average September rainfall – 227mm (8.9in) so far against an average of 55mm (2.2in).
But the rain is expected to clear during today, leaving conditions much colder on Saturday.
References
- ^ Lettice Bromovsky (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Chris Matthews (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ London (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Birmingham (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Wales (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Birmingham (www.dailymail.co.uk)