Photo by Christian Wasserfallen
Severe overnight storms have caused flash floods across Kent, leading to major disruptions including school evacuations, hospital service suspensions, and road closures. Affected residents and local authorities are now grappling with the aftermath.
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed that Buckland Hospital in Dover suffered significant flooding following intense thunderstorms overnight. As a result, the hospital is urging patients to avoid the Urgent Treatment Centre and refrain from attending outpatient services including radiology, maternity, renal, and other clinics throughout the weekend.
The extreme weather hit the region around 10:00 PM BST on Friday, inundating homes and businesses with floodwaters. According to the Met Office, more than 30,000 lightning strikes were recorded overnight. Yellow weather warnings for rain and thunderstorms remain active for parts of northern England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
At The Duke of York’s Royal Military School in Guston, 120 sixth-form students were evacuated around midnight. Their dormitory had been struck by what Claire Persall, chair of the school’s board of trustees, described as “catastrophic flooding.” Students, some of whom are preparing for critical exams, were forced to elevate their belongings onto beds to shield them from water damage.
Meanwhile, Dover District Council confirmed that 21 people were relocated to temporary accommodations. Several vehicles were abandoned during the floods, some of which may have mistakenly received parking fines. The council assured residents that no enforcement action would be taken against those affected unfairly.
Emergency response teams worked tirelessly through the night. Kent Police closed the A256 in Tilmanstone, where a driver was spotted stranded atop their car. Resident Michael Ford of Dover described the situation as the “worst storm in years“, noting, “I can’t remember one that bad since I was a child—and I’m 43 now.”
Kent Fire and Rescue Service reported a high volume of emergency calls. They responded to flooded properties across Dover, including on Folkestone Road, Maison Dieu Road, and surrounding streets such as East Street, London Road, Park Place, Homestead Road, and the High Street. Fire crews, alongside volunteers and other agencies, worked throughout the night to pump water from buildings and assist residents.
In addition to property damage, public transportation was disrupted. Stagecoach cancelled its late-night bus routes between Dover and Canterbury due to unsafe road conditions caused by flooding.
Weather forecasts predict that heavy showers and thunderstorms will ease slightly as Saturday progresses, with the South East expected to see the driest and brightest conditions.
