Timeline of the Leamington floods: What happened on April 9 1998
Here is a timeline of the first day of the flooding - April 9 1998.
* One month’s rain fall in just 12 hours as severe weather moves into the district. Warnings of more severe weather to come.
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Hide Ad* Afternoon: River Leam put on Yellow Alert. Evening: Roads become impassable due to flash floods. The worst affected are the M40, A46, A429 and A425.
* River Leam on Amber Alert. County Council decides to put emergency planning procedures into action. The task of prioritising starts.
* 6pm onwards: Water levels rise in the villages. Long Itchington, Southam, Eathorpe and Marton among the worst affected. Motorists divert from stretches of the M40 and A46. Many trapped in villages overnight.
* Emergency services rescue drivers trapped in cars and homes. Military helicopters, Red Cross and St John Ambulance called in to help. Rest centres set up in towns and villages for 1,200 stranded people.
* By midnight all rivers in South Warwickshire are on Red Alert