Cars were submerged and railway lines blocked as flash flooding hit swathes of Kent during a huge thunderstorm today.
The south-east of England was hit by spectacular lightning and torrential downpours throughout Tuesday afternoon.
Gravesend, Meopham, Strood and Doddington were particularly badly hit with images showing cars submerged and rainwater as high as the windows of some homes.
The flash floods have affected Southeastern rail services with Network Rail tweeting an image of a level crossing at Gillingham partly under water.
There was disruption on the Gillingham line, there were no Kent bound services on the Maidstone East line from Lenham and trains along the Medway Valley route were also suspended.
Lines were reopened but Network Rail has warned passengers that disruption will continue “for some time” as the rain moves across the country.
A heatwave across the UK has been blighted by thunderstorms over the last four days with more expected throughout the remainder of Tuesday and into Wednesday morning.
Forecasters have warned that spray and flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and road closures, while flooding or lightning strikes could cause power cuts in some areas.
The Environment Agency has issued 35 flood alerts, warning residents across great swathes of England to “be prepared” for possible flooding.
Highways England said there were also related problems on the A249 and the roundabout
Those off for half-term have been told to beware of potential flash floods and sudden worsening of visibility amid heavy rain and balmy temperatures.
Kent’s Road Policing Unit urged passengers to take extra caution due to the weather conditions.
“Heavy rain in the mid Kent area, please drive slowly, leave bigger gaps and be aware of surface water,” the force wrote on Twitter.
Motorists were trapped in cars as the severe weather took hold, with some reporting delays of up to two hours.
She wrote: “The #M2 is a little bit wet!”
Josh Coupe reported miles of queues between Faversham and Sittingbourne due to the rain.
Meanwhile Renee Smith tweeted a picture of her cat – also in the car – peering out of the window, writing: “Kitty is not impressed that the #M2 is closed. Moved 15 miles in two hours.”
Clare Carmen shared a series of videos as she drove around Sittingbourne, showing cars navigating large amounts of water on roads.
She wrote: Sittingbourne town centre. Every road is like a river.
The Met Office issued a yellow alert warning of thundery rain or showers which could bring local flooding to parts of southern England and Wales through Tuesday and into Wednesday morning.
It comes after one elderly man lost his life in the early hours of Monday when his vehicle became submerged in Walsall, and multiple rescues had to be carried out from cars, buses and homes on Sunday, the West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service technical rescue unit said.
Forecasters have warned that spray and flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and road closures, while flooding or lightning strikes could cause power cuts in some areas.
The Environment Agency has issued 35 flood alerts, warning residents across great swathes of England to “be prepared” for possible flooding.
Cavendish in Suffolk was the warmest recorded spot on Monday, peaking at 27.3C, a few degrees shy of the April high of 29.1c in central London.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all spiking temperatures on Monday, with Dunstaffnage in Argyll reaching 27.1C, Hawarden Airport in Clwyd reaching 24.9C, and Castlederg in County Tyrone reaching 25.1C.