Flooding across Dorset as river levels rise after torrential rain

Torrential rain has continued to fall in recent days adding to the devastation caused by Storm Ciarán last week.

Flooding has been caused by rain falling on already saturated ground and rivers may burst their banks as more water flows downstream. 

Radipole Lake and the River Wey saw water levels rise after torrential rain followed a yellow rain warning was put in place by the Met Office for Saturday.

The Environment Agency has also issued a flood warning for several areas of Dorset.

The end of Radipole Lane at the bottom of Southill by the bridge was closed for a period on Sunday after water from the nearby river flowed over.

Closer to the town centre, the area around along the Outer Harbour on Commercial Roads also experienced heavy flooding and water levels were still rising last night.. 

The Environment Agency put a flood warning in place for the area meaning that flooding was expected from the River Wey from Upwey to Weymouth.

Warnings for the area include Church Street, Little Mead, Nottington Lane and Almas Place.  

Further afield, the road between West Stafford and Lower Bockhampton was closed to flooding and the borehole at Kingston Russell is said to have risen to 115 meters.  

Other areas affected by flood warnings in Dorset are; Bridport, Chideock, Martinstown, Milborne St. Andrew, Nottington, Piddlehinton, Piddletrenthide, Upwey, Winterborne Abbas, Winterborne Kingston, Winterborne Steepleton, Winterborne Stickland, Winterborne Whitechurch and Winterborne Zelston.

Conditions could get worse with further heavy rainfall expected on Wednesday, November 8.

Water levels are expected to continue rising until at least the end of next week.

A spokesperson for the Met Office said: "The saturated conditions will increase the risk of flooding and disruption in some locations."  

A spokesperson from the Environment Agency said: "Please take action to protect yourself and your property and monitor local weather and river conditions. Avoid contact with, walking or driving through flood water. Consider activating any property flood protection products you may have."

“Please avoid driving through flood water as the bow wave can flood nearby properties and can seriously damage your engine.

“If there is no alternative please drive very slowly to minimise damage. If you have property flood resilience measures such as pumps, air brick covers or flood barriers, you should consider putting them in place now,” they added.

You can monitor groundwater levels at the Kingston Russell borehole on the Check-for-Flooding.gov.uk website

For up to date flood warnings visit https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/alerts-and-warnings