TWISTER TERROR
‘Tornado’ and floods batter Barking leaving trail of destruction as trees fly through the air and roads submerged
A "TORNADO" and floods left a trail of destruction in east London last night.
Shocking images show trees flying through the air, bricks from toppled walls strewn over cars and roads submerged in Barking and Dagenham.
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Dozens of homes and vehicles have been damaged after reports of the small twister that residents say struck in the Barking area.
Unbelievable clips shared on social media show objects and debris flying through the air as the vortex hovers over homes.
Police and fire crews reported to the scene as terrified residents reported they had "heard a loud noise like thunder".
Slates were ripped from roofs and trees were torn from the ground while buildings and cars bore the brunt of the damage.
Bricks were left strewn across the streets after the supposed tornado wreaked havoc across the east London district, sending wheelie binds flying down streets.
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Images shared on social media show collapsed walls as murky grey skies lingered in the background.
Leaves and twigs can be seen flying through the air as the tornado turns menacingly.
Shaken, Raj Ahmed, 36, told The Sun Online: "I was downstairs in the kitchen when I heard thunder.
"I didn’t think anything of it but then I noticed there wasn’t any rain. The noise got louder and I went outside to see what it was.
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"Right above the street was a huge tornado, twisting above the road. I was shocked, I couldn’t believe it, it’s like something out of a film."
Met Office forecaster Matthew Box said, "it is probable that a brief tornado did occur".
"The associated thunderstorms produced some very heavy and impactful rain over parts of north and east London and Essex which did result in flooding and travel disruption."
But none of the Met Office's sites recorded the winds this evening because "it was on a small scale relatively speaking".
Barking and Dagenham Police wrote in a tweet, "Police were called at around 1920hrs to reports of damage caused to roofs, electrical equipment, street furniture and vehicles in Hulse Avenue and some surrounding roads in the area.
"This is a weather-related incident, during which there was a lightning strike.
"In addition to the lightning strike, we have seen reports of a tornado but cannot confirm this.
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"There are no reports of any casualties. Officers are liaising with the local authority to ensure support is available to anyone affected by damage to property."
As well as the shocking reports of a tornado, Dagenham appeared to be underwater as torrential rain and strong winds hit the south of the country.
Video footage shared on social media shows houses submerged in floodwaters and vehicles attempting to navigate the depths.
The the Westbound carriageway of the A12 has been closed due to the significant flooding that has hit the majority of Romford.
London Fire Brigade and Transport for London are both reportedly attending the scene and are asking people to avoid the area.
The Met Office issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms which expired at 11pm this evening, which they said could result in flooding and travel disruption.
A local resident told : "The storm has just got here and it’s coming down.
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"A mate three miles away who got it before us said there was a river running down his road.
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"The rain is really hammering down on our roof, it’s almost as loud as our voices."
According to the Met Office, rare tornadoes in the UK are "typically small and short-lived, but can cause structural damage if they pass over built-up areas."
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Floods batter East London leaving cars submerged and blocking roads
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