A sudden and violent thunderstorm in London last night caught residents by surprise, waking many and sparking flash floods. In the middle of the night, London was battered for more than two hours by heavy rain as thunder rumbled and more than 3,000 lightning strikes were recorded.
Emergency Response and Damage
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) had their hands full, responding to over 400 calls of flooding and two housefires linked to lightning strikes. Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said: 'It has been a very busy night for our control officers, firefighters and officers. Shortly after 4 am, due to a large number of calls received by the brigade, we implemented our high-volume call procedure, which means flooding calls where there is a risk to life are prioritised, and crews then attend other calls as non-emergencies when they can.'
Goulbourne added that Operation Willow Beck was temporarily stood up. Introduced in 2022 nationally by the Home Office and National Chiefs Fire Council, this is a pre-determined 999 call distribution procedure that can divert surplus emergency calls to unaffected fire and rescue service control rooms during times of extreme demand. He thanked colleagues in other fire rescue services who assisted overnight, as well as LFB staff for their hard work and professionalism.
Residents React: Divided by Sleep
London resident Adam Schwarz wrote on X: 'It's 3.45am in London and it's been thunderstorming for almost two straight hours. One of the biggest and longest storms I can remember in my almost 35 years in this city.' Another added: 'I have never heard thunder so loud in my life.' Not every Londoner heard the ground-shaking storm, however. 'I had a good sleep, I didn't hear anything,' one commentator added.
Transport Disruption
Today, Balham Tube Station was closed due to flash flooding. A portion of the Elizabeth Line has also been suspended. Thunderstorms following soaring temperatures caused flash flooding in the capital, the LFB said, as it urged drivers not to drive through flooded areas.
Ongoing Response
The rain has since passed, but LFB is working through outstanding calls and still responding to damage reports across the city. The London Fire Brigade continues to urge caution as crews deal with the aftermath of the severe weather.
