More heavy rainfall is expected across NI today - as severe flooding took place across parts of the North West last night.

A weather warning from the Met Office remains in place and it is thought more than 15mm of rain could fall in a three hour period, this time mainly across Counties Antrim and Down.

In Co Londonderry on Wednesday night, some residents on the Old Letterkenny Road had to block the road in a bid to stop their homes being flooded.

Passing cars were pushing a wave of water towards their homes, which only just escaped being flooded.

Sinks and toilets in their homes were unusable for a time as flood waters filled all the drains to above capacity and for some time on Wednesday night, it looked as if the water would rise yet further as a full moon and high tides combined to prevent water escaping as heavy rains continued for hours on end.

The residents in Old City Close feared passing cars would push water into the homes: "It's terrible that we've had to go to the length of actually blocking the road, but as residents we were left with no choice," said Sandra Gale.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster this morning she said: "In our back gardens the water was right up to the level of the drains and the manholes, so it was coming from both sides.

"Houses were in serious danger of being flooded. So it's better than nothing, but at this stage a wee bit too little, too late."

Meanwhile, three houses were flooded in Magheramason in Co Tyrone, and in Burndennet people were advised to evacuate their homes as water levels rose.

The Glenshane Road, Ballyquinn Road, Berryhill Road and Victoria Road were also badly affected.

Philip Mehaffey from the Rivers Agency said they responded to emergencies as quickly as possible.

"We were out checking grills beforehand, but the problem with rainfall of such intensity is that flooding can happen very quickly.

"The grill at Magheramason was checked at 4 o'clock in the afternoon and it was clear, but the flooding ensued a very short time after that, with the higher flow lifting debris and depositing it on the grill," he said.

(BMcC/KMcA)