Floods feared as heavy rains drench UKFlood warnings are in place across the UK after heavy downpours soaked soak v. soaked, soak·ing, soaks v.tr. 1. a. To make thoroughly wet or saturated by or as if by placing in liquid. b. To immerse in liquid for a period of time. 2. many regions of the country early this morning. The Environment Agency issued eight flood alerts Flood alerts are issued by government weather agencies to alert residents that flood conditions are a possibility for their area. A Flood watch is issued when weather conditions are favorable for very heavy rain and flash flooding. as torrential rain hit Wales Wales, Welsh Cymru, western peninsula and political division (principality) of Great Britain (1991 pop. 2,798,200), 8,016 sq mi (20,761 sq km), west of England; politically united with England since 1536. The capital is Cardiff. , Northern Ireland Northern Ireland: see Ireland, Northern. Northern Ireland Part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland occupying the northeastern portion of the island of Ireland. Area: 5,461 sq mi (14,144 sq km). Population (2001): 1,685,267. , the Midlands, East Anglia East Anglia (ăng`glēə), kingdom of Anglo-Saxon England, comprising the modern counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. It was settled in the late 5th cent. by so-called Angles from northern Germany and Scandinavia. and London. Forecasters said 10mm of rain fell in one hour in London this morning. More than 20mm of rain was recorded in Devon and Cornwall overnight. The heaviest rain was in Wales, with Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Suffolk also experiencing dramatic weather. Barry Gromett from the Met Office said the rain was caused by a low pressure system and active fronts moving very quickly north. ''You don't expect to see such active weather systems in August,'' he said. "It is a very unsettled picture. There will be showers throughout the day and heavy thunderstorms thunderstorms a storm characterized by thunder and lightning caused by strong rising air currents; identified as agents of animal disease because of their involvement causing (1) spasmodic colic; (2) lightning strike; (3) injuries of cattle acquired in stampedes initiated by storms. .'' A severe weather warning for Northern Ireland was issued, with up to 50mm of rain expected overnight. Police warned of flooding on roads, including on the main A1 Belfast-Dublin Road at Banbridge, Co Down. Campers were rescued from the Mourne mountains Mourne Mountains (môrn), in Down, Newry, and Mourne dists., SE Northern Ireland. Slieve Donard (2,796 ft/852 m) is the highest peak in Northern Ireland. The district is barren and sparsely populated; there are ruins of sacked castles. this morning after their pitch was washed out by torrential rain. The three teenage girls called the Mourne rescue team after finding their route down from the mountains blocked by a swollen river. Ed Kilgore, the chairman of the Mourne rescue service, said: "A group had been out camping and were woken by the rain at around 5am and found their camp washed out. "When they tried to make their way back down the way they had gone up, they found their way blocked by a river that was so badly swollen they could not get across." Forecasters predicted the heavy rain would move north into East Anglia and be replaced by showers and patches of sunshine tomorrow. While the sun is expected to return on Friday, the weekend is likely to be a wet one. 
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