Homes damaged as storms follow heatwaves in England and Wales

People walk through heavy rain in Liverpool today. Met Office warnings for thunderstorms are in place across much of England and Wales as warm, humid conditions bring an increased chance of heavy rain. Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA View image in fullscreen People walk through heavy rain in Liverpool today. Met Office warnings for thunderstorms are in place across much of England and Wales as warm, humid conditions bring an increased chance of heavy rain. Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA Homes damaged as storms follow heatwaves in England and Wales Environment Agency issues 40 flood alerts across Midlands, Yorkshire and south-east of England Dozens of homes have been damaged a summer in which most of England and the whole of Wales was declared in drought. The Met Office said thundery showers in England and Wales could cause 75mm of rain to fall in just 12 hours in some areas. The Environment Agency (EA) issued 40 flood alerts, where flooding is possible, across the Midlands, Yorkshire and the south-east on Thursday morning. A flood alert was issued for the River Maun at Edwinstowe and Ollerton in Nottinghamshire. The EA said river levels at Mansfield The Dykes gauging station were rising rapidly due to the nature of the catchment, and Old Rufford Road was most at risk. A yellow thunderstorm warning for parts of the Midlands, east of England, south of England, the north-west, Yorkshire and Humber and Wales is in place until 10pm on Thursday. View image in fullscreen A road in Birmingham becomes flooded after the River Tame, which runs under the road, burst its banks. Photograph: British News and Media/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Live News. A second yellow warning for Lincolnshire, parts of the east of England, parts of Yorkshire, Kent and Medway will be in place from 5pm on Thursday to 7am on Friday. Climate scientists have repeatedly warned that global heating is causing more volatile weather patterns in the UK, with intense heatwaves, droughts, flooding and storms. Five heatwaves have been recorded in the UK this summer. A Birmingham man whose property was damaged in thunderstorms on Wednesday night described seeing a “river coming around the corner” before his home was flooded. Areas of Birmingham saw significant flooding on Wednesday after the EA issued a flood warning for the Perry Barr area. Staffordshire, where a lower-level flood alert is in place, had 60mm of rainfall in 12 hours, according to the Environment Agency.