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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
James Holt

Flood alert issued across parts of Greater Manchester as another thunderstorm batters region

A flood warning has been issued across parts of Greater Manchester as another thunderstorm battered the region on Sunday evening (June 18).

The official alert for the Upper River Irwell catchment includes parts of Oldham, Bolton, Rochdale, Haslingden, Ramsbottom and Rawtenstall.

The message was issued ahead of the thunderstorms, expected to last from 5pm until 10pm, as the Met Office put a yellow weather warning in place, with poor road conditions, flooding and transport delays expected.

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Areas most at risk of flooding include low lying agricultural land and roads and footpaths close to rivers and streams with fears that homes and businesses could also become partially submerged.

The flood alert, issued by the Environment Agency, also includes the Rivers Beal, Roch and Croal, Limey Water and their tributaries with other areas possibly affected including Farnworth, Whitefield, Little Lever, Radcliffe, Bury, Heywood, Whitworth and Bacup.

The area covered by the flooding alert (River Levels UK)

Read our LIVE coverage of thunderstorms across Greater Manchester here.

The situation is being 'closely monitored' by specialist incident response teams across Greater Manchester with people urged to avoid the potentially dangerous and flooded roads near to rivers and streams, the Environment Agency confirmed.

Meteorologists have said people should expect 'sudden flooding' which could cause difficult driving conditions and 'some road closures', with potential delays or cancellations to public transport services.

In Manchester, trams were already severely delayed on Sunday across numerous lines, with others totally suspended, after lightning struck and caused technical issues.

The news follows on from another storm in Manchester in the early hours of Sunday (June 18). Incredible video footage showed the moment the dramatic thunderstorm rolled in, with rumbling thunder and flashes of lightning.

It was just last week that sudden storms gripped the region, with people trapped in submerged cars under a flooded bridge and a house left with a gaping hole in the roof and charred walls after it was struck by lightning.

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