Hastings flooding: Town sees wettest January day in 80 years

Weather volunteers recorded 40mm of rain in the 24 hours before 9am on Monday (January 16), making it the third wettest January day on record, and the wettest January day in Hastings for 80 years.

Before Monday’s total, the record amount was 42.3mm in 1943.

The heavy rain has thankfully receded now, but resulted in major flooding in the town, and firefighters are still pumping water from shops and premises more than 24 hours later.

Many places have been left without electricity, and UK Power Networks has been on the scene working to resolve the issue for most of the day.

Emergency services were first called to the scene yesterday morning (Monday, January 16) after water was seen ‘gushing out of a drain’ in South Terrace.

Scores of flats and businesses affected by the floods and Queen’s Square and Priory Meadow Shopping Centre remain closed.

See photos of the town as 'water pours out of Priory Meadow' and cars become submerged

Business leader says town centre floods were 'disaster waiting to happen '