MORE heavy rain this afternoon and evening could cause further flooding across Essex.

The Environment Agency has issued two flood warnings in the county, for the River Crouch and the River Wid.

But it is also warning of potential for surface water flooding in other areas due to heavy showers.

The agency has teams out on the ground monitoring the situation and working closely with local authorities to prepare for any impacts of surface water flooding.

On Canvey, teams will be out overnight checking pumps and clearing weed screens of any debris.

Mark Johnson, Environment Agency duty manager for Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, said: “Torrential downpours across the south-east including parts of Essex and Suffolk could lead to further surface water flooding and significant disruption to travel on Thursday.

“Environment Agency teams are out on the ground, supporting communities and our partners to reduce the impacts of the heavy rain, and we will issue flood warnings and alerts where necessary. If travelling, we urge people not to drive though flood water – it is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.

“People should check their flood risk and keep up to date with the latest situation at www.gov.uk/check-if-youre-at-risk-of-flooding or follow @EnvAgency, and #floodaware on Twitter for the latest flood updates.”