Flood alerts lifted across East and West Sussex

News imageGetty Images A close up image of a white triangle road signs with a red border with the word Flood written in black lettering. It is on a grass verge on the left of a road. In the background, vehicles are driving through deep waterGetty Images
People were urged to make sure they have medication and insurance documents

Flood alerts across East and West Sussex have been lifted by the Environment Agency (EA).

The alerts were in place in for Polegate, Wannock, Blacklands in Hastings, and the nearby Hollington Stream in East Sussex, and for the Aldingbourne and Barnham Rifes as well as the Scrase Bridge and West Common Streams in West Sussex.

An EA flood alert warns people flooding is possible and urges them to avoid travelling through flood water, to have medications and insurance documents prepared, and to move livestock and equipment away from areas that may be affected.

The alerts came during a regional yellow thunderstorm warning from the Met Office, which ended at 08:00.

The EA said it had "low confidence" in all the areas alerted, bar the Hollington Stream, to cope with the forecasted rain.

River levels and flood risks were expected to begin to reduce at about 08:30 on Thursday for all the areas except for Bersted near Bognor Regis, which was expected to see its river levels lower on Friday.

The EA said water pumps were running to help ease the risk of flooding from the Aldingbourne and Barnham Rifes.

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