A woman has been found dead in flood water after severe storms brought a month’s rainfall in less than 24 hours to parts of central and northern England.

Police say the woman’s body was found near a stretch of the River Derwent in the county Derbyshire, after she was reported having been swept away by flood water.

Dozens of people were trapped in a shopping centre in the northern city of Sheffield overnight after becoming stranded by rising waters.

About 100 others were rescued from a nearby mall by firefighters in dinghies.

The greatest concern was for homes in six areas around the River Don near the northern town of Doncaster, where water levels reached dangerous record highs.

Residents were initially warned to immediately evacuate although the local authority later told them to instead remain vigilant.

There were more than 150 alerts in other areas of the country where the Environment Agency cautioned that flooding was either expected or possible.

UK weather forecast: Hundreds of flood warnings still in force across England as country endures month's worth of rain https://t.co/pN8Jncp2Ou

— Mark S. Harrington (@harringtonmarks) November 8, 2019

The torrential rain also brought widespread travel disruption with some rail operators issuing a “do not travel” advice to passengers in places around Sheffield and other affected areas, while many roads were also closed.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted that it was “awful” to see the flooding.

“Thank you to the emergency staff & volunteers helping families through this difficult time,” he said.

Torrential downpours flood parts of northern England – In Pictures#NorthernEngland #Weather #TorrentialRain #Flooding #BBCNews #photography #Photos https://t.co/VvXvvukeX2

— Richard Norman Poet (@ElmerPalaceSE25) November 8, 2019