26/12/2013 South East Today

Good evening. Householders hn the News Channel. We are back with

Good evening. Householders hn the South East are being told to expect

more wind and rain tonight `s more wind and rain tonight `s

another storm passes through. 4 000 people are still without power

following Monday night's storm. Tonbridge and Yalding were

particularly badly hit and today some of Maidstone Town Centre has

been under water. Simon Jonds joins us from there now. Simon? How is it

looking? The river is still very high here

tonight. The Environment Agdncy is tonight. The Environment Agency is

warning potentially overnight we will see another inch of rain. That

could lead to flooding of the type we saw a couple of days ago as the

water reaches the same level. That ruined Christmas for many people.

ruined Christmas for many pdople. Counting the cost of the torrential

downpour. In Yalding, firefighters downpour. In Yalding, firefhghters

had to use boats to rescue 50 downpour. In Yalding, firefighters

had to use boats to rescue 40 people had to use boats to rescue 50 people

from their homes on Christm`s had to use boats to rescue 40 people

from their homes on Christmas Day. That was scary. I came out `nd was

That was scary. I came out and was walking over and it was high but not

too high but why the time got back to the house, maybe one hour later,

it was coming in through thd it was coming in through the

conservatory, through the door. It was coming from the ground and

was coming from the ground `nd coming up. It was just coming in so

quickly. In Maidstone, some businesses were unable to stop the

advance of the rising water. The sun is out today but the warning is more

bad weather is on the way. Here they are bringing sandbags to try to

protect this restaurant as best they can. In reality, it is too little

too late because there is already water in the cellar and it has also

destroyed much of the marqude. water in the cellar and it has also

destroyed much of the marquee. It is destroyed much of the marquee. It is

depressing. This road is now impassable. We are expecting another

inch of rain, 25 millimetres of rain tonight so the river level will rise

again and we will see more flooding. Beneath this water is a

sunken boat. One driver who risk this road was soon regretting the

decision. Boxing Day in Maidstone will be remembered by many for all

of the wrong reasons. 700 homes in Kent have been flooded

already and another 300 are thought to be at risk if the rain does

arrive as predicted and in the last hour, South East trains havd said

they will be unlikely to run any trains before midday tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the power cut has led to sewage pouring into gardens in one

Kent village. Residents say their Christmas has been ruined. Nicola

Haseler reports. They were prepared for flooding but

not raw sewage. It is that sludgy staff. This is also rich. We

not raw sewage. It is that sludgy staff. This is also rich. Wd have

sandbags but the whole thing was right up to just below the step and

lapping onto the top step. When an electricity cable came down on

Monday, it to about the powdr Monday, it to about the powdr

supplies for the sewage plant. There was a loud bang and the power

supplies for the sewage plant. There was a loud bang and the powdr went

was a loud bang and the power went off. Are you the elegance the board?

It was coming over the drivd as off. Are you the elegance the board?

It was coming over the drive as well It was coming over the drive as well

so all of this was wet with sewage and we have children and you have to

walk through it. The only w`y to try walk through it. The only way to try

and clear all of this sewagd walk through it. The only w`y to try

and clear all of this sewage in walk through it. The only way to try

and clear all of this sewagd in the and clear all of this sewage in the

street is for these tankers to come every two hours, two at a time

street is for these tankers to come every two hours, two at a thme and

every two hours, two at a time and try and cleared away. It is the

problem with the sewage that is a concern. We could end up with sewage

coming into the house. Therd has coming into the house. There has

been no information yet as to when the power will return.

Football now and not a great afternoon for our teams.

In the Championship, Charlton beat Brighton 3`2 at the Valley. In

League One, Gillingham lost 2`1 to Leyton Orient and Crawley wdnt down

Leyton Orient and Crawley went down 2`0 to visitors MK Dons and had a

man sent off. 2`0 to visitors MK Dons and

Now look at the weather. Good evening. I'm afraid is a bad

end to Boxing Day. The Met office have a yellow warning in place for

rain. That is for parts of Kent and Sussex from midnight tonight until

9pm tomorrow. We are 20 millilitres of rainfall by tomorrow and perhaps

30 millimetres more locally. We have to be prepared for localised

flooding on saturated ground and also disruption to travel. There

will be dust of up to 60 mph along the coast and 40 mph inland.

Tomorrow morning, if you're going back to work, the commute whll

Tomorrow morning, if you're going back to work, the commute will be a

tricky one. That starts to leave us and we should start to see the end

of it by lunchtime. It will be a blustery day. The following two days

are looking fairly settled, so some relief after the storm.

That is all from me for now. I'll be back this evening. Goodbye.