A number of flood alerts are still in place after the county was hit with torrential rain overnight.

Homes are said to have flooded and drivers have had to be rescued from their vehicles after becoming stranded in floodwater.

Firefighters were called to New Barn Road, Hawkenbury at about 4.15pm yesterday (December 12) after two cars became stuck in water, which blocked the road.

Three fire engines attended and crews wearing dry suits walked one vehicle safely out.

The other vehicle had a handbrake on that they were unable to activate. It was handed over the police who closed the road and dealt with its recovery.

A spokesman from the service said: “We are reminding people to never attempt to drive through flooded roads, because it can often be deeper than it looks, and lead your vehicle to become stranded.”

Fawkham Road in West Kingsdown has been forced to close at the junction with Scratchers Lane due to flooding.

Kent County Council say it will be shut for up to seven days.

An alternative route is via Scratchers Lane, A20 London Road and Fawkham Road.

Elsewhere, there are reports of homes in Mortimer Street, Herne Bay, becoming flooded. The road is also blocked.

Heavy showers are expected to continue throughout today, with 15 flood alerts still in place.

The Environment Agency is monitoring rainfall and regularly checking rivers for blockages.

The agency advises residents to “avoid using low-lying footpaths and any bridges near local watercourses and do not attempt to walk or drive through flood water”.

An alert was issued for the Upper River Stour area, which particularly affects those in and around Great Chart and Ashford.

Spring tides today and tomorrow could see further flooding.

Locations near the River Stour – including Grove Ferry, Plucks Gutter and Stodmarsh – are likely to be affected.

An alert for areas near the River Darent, from Westerham to Dartford, was issued at 3pm yesterday and is still in place this morning.

Levels have been rising on the Lower, Middle and Upper Medway. The riverbank at Wateringbury, near Maidstone, has also burst.

Yesterday a picture showed a black Vauxhall Corsa abandoned in water along The Esplanade in Rochester.

In Whitstable, three people were rescued from a car in Chestfield Road.

Two fire engines were sent to the scene at about 3.15pm and police were forced to close the road.

It is still flooded, with people being advised to avoid the area and to check for traffic updates before travelling.