Drone pictures show flooding in Yalding, Maidstone, and Leigh, near Tonbridge
Published: 17:53, 18 November 2022
Updated: 17:56, 18 November 2022
New drone pictures show the extent of flash flooding which has cut off two Kent villages.
Yalding, near Maidstone, and Leigh, near Tonbridge, have been ravaged by water following days of heavy rain.
Neighbours have been seen riding tractors around Yalding to get around the roads as water levels peak in the area and the river continues to rise.
Flood alerts have yet again been put in place for the Lower River Medway.
The warning – in place until tomorrow – covers Hampstead Lock at Yalding to Allington Lock, East Farleigh, Wateringbury, Teston and Teston Park, Tovil and Maidstone including Millennium Park.
Meanwhile, those living in Leigh have been completely cut off as the surrounding streets and fields have been completely submerged.
Resident Julian Jansen van Rensburg has said the village is yet to flood but the main road has been closed since yesterday meaning they are unable to leave.
He added: "It is impossible to get over to Tonbridge. It is causing havoc if you want to get anywhere. We are completely cut off.
"Ensfield Road is totally flooded. It is the main route to Tonbridge which is the main town for the surrounding areas. It has the schools, it has everything.
"It just makes it quite difficult to get through and we have to take a massive diversion which is inconvenient."
He said the roads and fields across from the railway bridge are underwater but he says it has never been this bad since he moved to the village five or six years ago.
Flood alerts are also in place for the Middle River Medway as water levels peak in Tonbridge and East Peckham although these are expected to decline slowly overnight.
It is warned that low lying land and towpaths are likely to still be flooded over the weekend.
The new warning covers Penshurst to Hampstead Lock including the Leigh Flood Storage area, Ensfield Road, Tonbridge, Paddock Wood, Hop Farm, East Peckham, Branbridges and Hale Street.
Yesterday, many places across the county were affected by flash flooding following persistent rainfall.
Fire crews were even called out to rescue a taxi driver who had got stranded in the high waters in Laddingford, near Yalding, while delivering school meals.
Ensfield Road in still closed in both directions due to flooding between the High Street and Hayesden Lane.
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Alex Langridge