STORM HENK: Surrey and Hampshire residents warned about potential flooding and falling trees
A yellow warning for heavy rain has been issued by the Met Office
Surrey and Hampshire residents are being urged to be cautious today and watch out for potential flooding and falling trees as Storm Henk rages on.
The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for heavy rain in the area which could have dangerous consequences for locals.
What to expect:
The Met Office said:
"There is a slight chance of power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses.
"There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded, causing damage to some buildings.
"Spray and flooding is likely to lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures.
"There is a small chance that some communities will become cut off by flooded roads.
"Where flooding occurs, there is a chance of delays or cancellations to train and bus services."
It has also been identified by Surrey County Council that residents should watch out for instances of flooding and falling trees.
Councillor Marisa Heath, Cabinet Member for Environment, tells us:
"Flooding can be really serious, as it was in 2014.
"We saw what happened - elderly, vulnerable and disabled people, families, their houses were flooded and ruined.
"Residents are really concerned about flooding of the road network, of homes, we're also seeing sewage overflows.
"If you're seeing flooding happening, report this to us directly and we can investigate as soon as possible.
"Residents tend to know particularly in areas like Dorking next to the River Mole, they know when the river is looking flashy and something is going to happen before it does as they've been there so many times."
Concern is raised for falling ash dieback trees
Councillor Heath also raised concerns for falling trees in the Surrey and Hampshire area - in particular, ash diebacks.
Councillor Marisa Heath, Cabinet Member for Environment, says:
"We've had a lot of ash dieback across the whole of Surrey and what that means is often the tree can deteriorate much faster the wetter it gets.
"With the storm, there is a real threat for people, so we need them to be really careful,
"At Surrey County Council, we do tree maintenance and we go around checking our trees but we can't guarantee that they are not going to come down.
"That's a risk not just on the roads but in the countryside as well.
"So when out walking, stay clear of them if you can for now."
You can report instances of flooding, fallen trees and power cuts on the Surrey County Council website.