Amber warning after severe floods

Most main routes in south and east Belfast have left impassable after heavy rain caused severe flooding, police said.

Cars were submerged during a massive downpour on Wednesday evening.

Around 1,000 homes lost electricity temporarily and residents battled frantically using boards, brushes and whatever else came to hand to try and keep back the rising waters.

The Met Office has issued a further amber weather warning valid from 04.00 to 21.00 on Thursday, according to the Executive, and the Roads Service has brought in extra staff.

An Executive spokeswoman said: "There are expected to be further slow moving torrential downpours tomorrow afternoon and further flooding can be expected."

Even a police vehicle in West Belfast was submerged and officers had to be rescued from the rooftop. A PSNI spokeswoman said: "Most of the main arterial routes in east and south Belfast are impassable due to flooding, abandoned cars and debris."

A Northern Ireland Water spokeswoman said its call centre has received 2,800 calls about localised flooding. She added areas affected included Lisburn, Dunmurry, Belfast and Bangor.

The spokeswoman said: "NI Water have received reports of blocked sewers, reports of external flooding and reports of internal flooding which are being responded to by staff and contractors. Every effort has been made to alleviate the flooding in the affected areas as quickly as possible and assist with the clean-up operation."

In south Belfast several houses were flooded at Burren Way in Cregagh. Local residents claimed they were not receiving official help or sandbags. However Belfast Council and other services have established an emergency incident centre.

Politicians urged NIW to spend more to improve their drainage systems.