The flooding on the A22 Godstone Road on Thursday
A dry day of clear blue skies on Friday has offered little real relief from the flood-threatened areas to the south of the borough, with severe weather warnings threatening more rain and high winds over the next three days.
The A22 Godstone Road has remained closed all day between Downs Court Road and Hillbury Road, Whyteleafe.
Roke Primary School was evacuated for the second time in three days at lunchtime today, while the sports ground next door – used by the authorities as the “sponge” on which to pump floodwater away from the school – looks as if it will not be fit to stage any cricket matches any time soon. Water polo, more likely.
At least the drivers of the JCBs and other service vehicles which operated on the sports field managed to avoid driving over the hallowed cricket square.
The cricket ground at Kenley looked saturated with floodwater on Friday afternoon
At Kenley water works, the fire brigade was pumping water away from the plant this morning in the hope that it might continue to provide a service to 25,000 local households.
But the water pumped from one point has to go somewhere else, and traders near Kenley station and the Kenley Arms were today sand-bagging their premises against the ever-rising levels of the subterranean water table and the Caterham Bourne.
According to Croydon Council, a rise in water levels in the bourne can take two to three days to work its way upstream from Surrey to the culverts and water ways in the borough. So South Croydon, Croham and areas through to Wandle Park – where the bourne joins the River Wandle – will continue to be under flooding threat over the weekend and into next week.
The Met Office’s severe weather warning (click here) for Friday night, Saturday and Sunday suggests that the situation could get worse before it gets any better.
- To report rising groundwater levels or flooding, residents are asked to call the Environment Agency Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60. You can also sign up to the free groundwater Flood Alert/Warning service by calling Floodline on 0845 988 1188.
- Kenley and Purley flooding declared ‘a major incident’
- Storm warning at Altitude 25 as ‘lethal’ metal falls from tower
Coming to Croydon
- Purley Swimathon: Feb 8 and 13
- Mark Steel at Ashcroft Theatre, Feb 12
- Croydon Arts Network meeting, Feb 15
- Chinese New Year children’s event, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 18
- This War! St Gertrude’s Theatre group, Feb 19-22
- Welsh myths children’s event, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 20
- Norwood Society talk, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 20
- Mr Pooter comes to Croydon, Feb 20-22
- Warm and Well event, Upper Norwood Library, Feb 22
- Stop the Incinerator fund-raiser, Feb 24
- Fairtrade event, Upper Norwood Library, Mar 1
- Coulsdon and Purley Debating Society, Mar 3
- Patchwork and quilting workshop, Upper Norwood Library, Mar 3
- Upper Norwood Library Book Club, Mar 15
- Norwood Society talk, Upper Norwood Library, Mar 20
- Croydon Half-marathon, Mar 30
- If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, a residents’ or business association or local event, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
