“Danger to life” flood warnings have been issued by the Met Office as thunderstorms continue to hit parts of the UK.
Downpours caused flooding inside London’s Victoria Station and outside King’s Cross Station, with videos showing cars and buses driving through huge puddles.
An amber thunderstorm warning covering most of the south east of England, including parts of London, will be in place until 10pm on Wednesday, meaning people should expect flooding and disruption.
The warning says: “Fast flowing or deep floodwater is likely, causing danger to life.”
The Met Office said flooding is likely to affect homes and businesses “quickly”, as 30mm to 50mm of rain could fall in just an hour, while a few places may see more than 100mm in a few hours.
Train and bus cancellations, difficult driving conditions and power cuts could happen as a result, forecasters warned.
Lightning, hail and strong winds will also lash areas included in the warning, such as Suffolk, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex.
Parts of the UK have already faced two days of heavy rainfall and flooding, and a yellow thunderstorm warning has been in place across most of southern England, Wales and central areas, including the Midlands.
In Yorkshire, Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has asked people only to attend its A&E if their condition is urgent or life-threatening after water leaked into its building.
Warnings issued about storm sewage overflows
Meanwhile, pollution warnings have been put in place at more than 40 beaches and swimming spots in England and Wales.
Heavy rain has overwhelmed the sewage system following several dry months.
The south west and south coast of England were the worst affected, according to data gathered by environmental campaign group Surfers Against Sewage (SAS).
Swimmers have been advised to avoid bathing at seven beaches in Cornwall as a result of storm sewage overflows, with four in Devon and five in Dorset also polluted.
Read more: It finally rained! But what caused that strange smell?
Nine beaches in Sussex, three on the Isle of Wight and three in Essex have also been affected.
Elsewhere, there were warnings in place at spots in Lincolnshire, Cumbria, Lancashire and South Wales, as well as two inland wild swimming spots near Bristol and near Minehead in Somerset.
In recent years, there has been growing public outrage at the volume of raw or partially-treated sewage pumped into the UK’s rivers and coastal waters.
