All hail breaks loose as freak deluge hits island
CEILINGS collapsed, businesses and homes were flooded and drains covers burst open as a 'freak' hail and rain storm hit Guernsey on Saturday morning.
Emergency Services, Civil Protection Volunteers and States Works, were called out to all areas in the island to pump out water, divert traffic and ensure people were safe.
The sudden downpour forced stores, including B&Q, Sports Direct, Soundtrack and Quayside to close as gutters could not cope with the volume of rainfall in such a short period of time.
Parts of the roof at the Homemaker store in Lowlands Industrial Estate buckled – causing sections of the ceiling to collapse inside the store.
A wedding in Town Church also had to be held back by about an hour to allow the deluge to pass.
The Met. Office recorded 6mm of rain – a seventh of the monthly average – fell in about 15 minutes just after 11.30am.
A spokesman said that the thunderstorms came in from the south and triggered the downpour – which Jersey managed to escape.
Several roads across the island were flooded, including Rue de Coutanchez, Rohais and the Longstore, where two people were seen kayaking past the Co-Operative store.
The Bridge area in St Sampson's was also affected badly by flood water, including along Bulwer Avenue.
In total, nine firefighters in three vehicles were sent out to help with the clear up throughout the day.
Crew commander Milton Le Moignan said they had received about 50 to 60 calls from islanders asking for help.
More details and pictures in today's paper.
