Floods sweep the south coast in 1974
Roads throughout the area were flooded after a night of torrential rain and winds, with the Portsmouth area particularly badly affected.
At Petersfield, several minor roads were flooded after nearly two inches of rain fell in 24 hours. At Weston, a hamlet just south of Petersfield, firemen were called out when the road was flooded with 18 inches of water, making it impassable for car drivers.
Two small breaches appeared in the sea wall alongside Eastern Road, Portsmouth, but a spokesman for the city engineer’s department said workmen were not expecting any problems.
‘The water has not come through and we will wait for the tide to go down and then put in sandbags if necessary,’ he said.