Calls to the 999 emergency line in Northern Ireland have been delayed by the volume of reports being received in England of flash flooding, police said today.
Central offices in England, which route callers to individual services, are being inundated and at one stage experienced a ten-second delay in connecting to the local operator.
Police, fire, ambulance and coastguard services have been affected and the authorities are asking users to hold on the 999 line until an operator becomes available.
Co-ordinators have set up a second additional number for local emergencies.
It is 02890 901278 and users are asked to state immediately that it is an emergency.
The Met Office in Britain has issued severe weather warnings covering all of England.
Rainfall totals of between 20mm and 40mm are forecast but some areas could see levels reach 100mm.
Torrential rain has already caused flash floods and brought transport chaos to much of England.
Some roads, including parts of motorways, have been closed because of flooding and several train services are being hit by delays and cancellations.
Train services between Birmingham and Gloucester have been suspended and some platforms at London's Paddington station have also been closed.
Some villages along riverbanks have been evacuated.
This time last year a heatwave saw record-breaking temperatures in Surrey in the southeast of England. Temperatures then hit 36 degrees Celsius.
