Drivers trapped, trains cancelled and canals overflowing... it’s August!
ALMOST half of August’s rainfall fell in just SIX hours across Greater Manchester as the region was deluged by flooding.
Two motorists were trapped by flood water inside their stranded cars and had to be rescued by firefighters as Greater Manchester was battered by torrential rain yesterday morning.
Firefighters were called to Crossley Road in Heaton Chapel, Stockport, at 10.24am to reports of a car stuck in flood waters.
A man was helped to safety by firefighters and taken to hospital for assessment.
The second stranded motorist was helped from his car on the Mancunian Way in the city centre, which was completely closed because of flooding. He was unhurt.
Elsewhere, a number of homes were flooded, and firefighters had to pump water out of flooded basements at a hospital site and a high school.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue responded to 15 flooding-related incidents between midnight and 11.30am yesterday morning - with more expected throughout the day. The control room received a total of 23 calls over the same period. In eight of the cases, advice was given out over the phone.
The average rainfall for the entire month of August in Greater Manchester is 80mm, according to figures.
The Met Office reported that 30.8mm of rain fell at an observation station with a rain gauge based in Rochdale.
That means that just under half of a normal August’s rainfall fell in just six hours yesterday. The figure for an observation station in Davyhulme, Trafford, over the same six-hour period was 23.4mm - just over a quarter of the month’s normal rainfall.
The fire service reported flooded apartments and flats on Kilmaine Avenue in Blackley. Firefighters were also called to reports of several flooded properties on Countess Street in Cale Green, Stockport, Barlow Road in Manchester and Wilmslow Road, Manchester.
A salvage operation was carried out at the Winnicott Centre, part of the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital site on Hathersage Road. Heavy flooding in a basement was reported at 9.30am.
A basement at Whalley Range High School on Wilbraham Road also flooded and water was pumped out. Heavy flooding was reported inside a unit on Millow Street, Manchester.
Elsewhere, the basement of Northenden Social Club on Palatine Road flooded and water was reported flooding into the Virgin Media building on Timpson Road, Manchester.
Services were suspended on the Metrolink airport line due to severe flooding, with motorways and roads in Castlefield, Timperley, Bramhall, Middleton and Levenshulme badly affected.
Northern Rail services between Hadfield and Manchester Piccadilly were being cancelled yesterday.
The Bridgewater Canal was reported to be overflowing in Castlefield and flood warning were issued by the Environment Agency for the River Irwell, the River Mersey and the River Spodden in Whitworth.