Hampshire homes evacuated in relentless flood chaos in 1976

Cloudbursts and prolonged torrential rain brought the worst flooding of the year to south-east Hampshire – with houses, roads and land going under water.
Residents of a flooded house at Wallington, Fareham, look out on the torrents of water from the River Wallington pouring down the main street.Residents of a flooded house at Wallington, Fareham, look out on the torrents of water from the River Wallington pouring down the main street.
Residents of a flooded house at Wallington, Fareham, look out on the torrents of water from the River Wallington pouring down the main street.

One cloudburst over Havant brought some of the worst floods. In Dockenfield Close, Leigh Park, 30 houses were hit by floodwater 18in deep in living rooms and some homes were evacuated.

Havant town centre buses, shops and offices were suddenly hit by the loss of all phones after the floods caused underground cable faults.

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As roads were submerged across the area, hard-hit police units tried diverting traffic.

The road between Havant and Emsworth was said to be ‘impassable’.

Bearing the brunt of the emergency services trying to beat the floods was Hampshire Fire Brigade, which was swamped with about 200 999 calls in two hours.

Cowplain residents at Lawnswood Close fought and lost a continual battle to keep out the water.

One resident returned home to find her pet Labrador swimming in her kitchen.