Sussex on flood alert
6:36am Tuesday 12th June 2012 in News
Sussex is on flood alert after a month's worth of rain fell in just 12 hours - with experts warning of more to come.
The deluge forced people out of their flooded homes while animals stranded in fields resembling rivers had to be rescued.
Officials warned residents in the worst hit areas to prepare as rain continues to fall today into the county's swollen rivers.
Driving conditions are treacherous this morning across the county.
There are renewed risks of further flooding, the Environment Agency has warned.
Forecasters have revealed there will be no respite from the rain over coming days.
The EA said there is a "continued" risk of surface water flooding from overwhelmed drains across parts of East and West Sussex.
Some 50 flood alerts have been issued across England and Wales and six flood warnings, including for:
The Barnham Rife at Barnham, including the B2233, Lake Lane, Orchard Way, and Downview Road, West Sussex
The Aldingbourne Rife at Bersted, including Addison Way, Riverside Caravan Park, and the South Bersted industrial estate, West Sussex
The Aldingbourne and Lidsey Rifes at Felpham, including the Whitfield Close, the A259, Links Avenue, and Butlins Holiday Centre, West Sussex
Wiggonholt in West Sussex received the biggest lashing with 63 millimetres of rainfall during the last 24 hours.
"It is June's rainfall in one day," said Victoria Kettley, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association.
The average June rainfall for south east, central and southern England is 50 millimetres.
Despite the heavy rainfall, an Environment Agency spokesman confirmed areas of southern England remained in drought.
He said: "The rain we have had since the start of April - following the driest March for 70 years - has led to a huge improvement in water resources, putting us in a much more positive position for the summer.
"Water companies have seen reservoir levels rise, river levels are mostly back to normal, and many wildlife habitats that were suffering due to a lack of water have recovered.
"While the risk of drought with further water restrictions and associated environmental impacts this summer has reduced, the situation could deteriorate again next year if there is not enough rain this winter, particularly as groundwater levels are still low for this time of year."
The Met Office said the UK was still below its average rainfall for the time of year.
Between January and May, 392.5 millimetres of rain fell across the country, compared to an average of 439 millimetres.
INCIDENTS - updated 9.50am
A fallen tree near the junction of the the A27 and A24 in Worthing is causing delays to commuters.
Traffic reports suggested the road remains closed both ways, just west of the Offington Corner roundabout, alongside Durrington Cemetery.
West Sussex Fire and Rescue reported that the volume of calls to its centre had steadied overnight.
A spokeswoman said its crews were still out pumping water where it could.
She added the worst affected areas were the Felpham and Middleton areas of Bognor. Some properties were under five to six feet of water.
A group of elderly people in the Elmer area of Bognor had to be rescued and were taken to the Arun rescue centre in Felpham.
Those staying at Butlin's holiday park in Bognor said last night they had to be reallocated rooms as water in some blocks had reached waist height.
Others due to visit have been turned away by staff.
Emergency teams warned last night that access to Bognor remains difficult as all three main routes are blocked A29, A259 and Elmer Road.
Last night its teams focussed on pumping water away from the A259 to reopen the road.
Crews from Hove Fire Station assisted colleagues in West Sussex in pumping water from properties and areas in Littlehampton.
By 10am a number of roads had reopened, incuding the A259 Bognor to Chichester and A27 Chichester to Emsworth.
Send us your wet weather pictures. Email them to news@theargus.co.uk or text them to 80360 starting your message with SUPIC.
Road closures currently in effect:
A285 Petworth Bridge to Cottershaw Bridge; Monteswood Lane, Hayward Heath; Ifield Avenue, Crawley; A259 Felpham; A29 Shripney; Elmer Road, Bognor; Ancton Lane, Bognor; B2149 Station Road, Rustington; B2140 South Terrace between Fitzalan Road and Pier Road; Angmering village; fear river over road on A272 Newbridge just west of Billingshurst
Roads passable with care but causing long delays:
A259 Bognor to Chichester now open; A27 Chichester to Emsworth now open; B2233 Yapton Road open with minor flooding at junction of B2132 but passable
SCHOOL CLOSURES
Bartons Infant School, Bognor; Edward Bryant Primary School, Bognor; Felpham Community College, Bognor; West Wittering Parochial Church of England School, Chichester
Ticklemetoo Playschool, Littlehampton will be closed until Monday. A week will be added on at the end of the summer term.
Send us your wet weather pictures. Email them to news@theargus.co.uk or text them to 80360 starting your message with SUPIC.
Source: www.theargus.co.uk
Sussex football star killed in crossfire - Progress Index
SURRY - A high school football standout from Sussex County was shot and killed at a graduation party in Surry County Saturday. Tyquan Johnson, 18, had graduated from Sussex Central High School on Friday evening, the school's principal Dr. Arthur Jarrett said.
"Tyquan was an excellent young man, always smiling on the field and in the classroom," Jarrett said. "He had a big heart and he was a good person. He will be missed by both our school and our community," he said. Johnson was quarterback for the school's football team.
Police say that Johnson attended a private graduation party held in the 2100 block of Alliance Road in Surry Saturday night and was caught between two groups of people that were firing at each other after the party.
"There was some type of conflict between several young men that the victim got caught up in," Surry County Sheriff Alvin Clayton said, adding that according to witnesses, between a dozen and 50 shots were fired in the altercation.
Three people were hit, including Johnson, Clayton said. "Mr. Johnson died on the way to the hospital," he said. The other two victims, who were also from Sussex, suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Autopsy results have concluded that Johnson died from a gunshot wound. His death was ruled a homicide. Clayton asked Virginia State Police and the Sussex County Sheriff's Office for assistance in investigating the case.
"We do have suspects in the shooting and we will be charging folks soon," Clayton said.
Johnson had planned to play football at North Carolina Wesleyan, Jarrett said.
Markus Schmidt may be reached at 722-5172 or mschmidt@progress-index.com
Source: progress-index.com
Sussex coach rates Rusty as a match-winner - The Argus.co.uk
Sussex coach rates Rusty as a match-winner
9:30am Tuesday 12th June 2012 in Sport By Steve Hollis
Coach Mark Robinson believes Sussex have landed a proven match-winner after signing Juan Theron for their Twenty20 campaign.
But Robinson’s joy at bringing in the South Africa seamer was tempered by the news that England wicketkeeper Matt Prior will miss the first half of the group stages through injury.
Prior had been expected to be available for eight of Sussex’s ten group games but has now been told to rest an ongoing Achilles injury by the England management following the final Test against West Indies yesterday.
Robinson is delighted to finally capture a second overseas signing, however, with Theron – nicknamed Rusty due to his ginger hair – due to make his debut against Kent Spitfires at Canterbury tonight.
He said: “When we started the process of looking for a second overseas player we expected to have Matt for eight games so a death bowler looked to fit the bill nicely and Rusty is a proven performer in the department.
“We planned our team around having Matt so to lose him for another three games is disappointing. It does make it difficult but we have got to deal with it.”
Theron joins former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris as Sussex’s two overseas signings for the competition as the Sharks bid to go one step further having been knocked out in the quarter-finals in the past two seasons.
Sussex moved for the 26-year-old after he was left out of the South Africa squad for their triangular Twenty20 series against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in Harare next week.
Theron, who played league cricket for Brighton and Hove for two seasons in 2006 and 2007, said: “Sussex have been a leading county in T20 for the last three seasons so I see this as a great opportunity to make a good impression and to try to get a more regular place in the South Africa team.”
Tonight’s opening game against Kent was initially scheduled to be played at Tunbridge Wells but has been switched to Canterbury with the Nevill Ground flooded. The start time has also been put back from 5.30pm to 7pm.
Source: www.theargus.co.uk
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