General · 30 August 2026

London's clay ground will take ages to recover from drought

Unsplash / Brad Helmink

Around 80% of London's ground is clay, which has shrunk and cracked after a record-dry July. Geotechnical engineers say prolonged, steady rain is needed for it to fully recover, not just downpours. Clay dryness can cause subsidence, potentially damaging properties constructed from the post-war period through the 1980s.

By BriefTea Editorial · 30 August 2026 at 11:16

Reported by BBC · How we write briefs

Get the app

Understand this story

Why does clay shrink? How does rain help clay? Why are some homes vulnerable?

More briefs

GeneralJeffrey Donaldson gets 15 years for child sex abuse WorldTeen Arrested Over Alleged Plan to Attack Hindu Temple in Illinois TechnologyFacebook launches 'Your Algorithm', letting users reshape Feed and Reels in plain language TechnologyHinton, Bengio and 400 scientists urge international body to set AI containment rules GeneralLiverpool city centre parking up to £4.60 an hour from 1 November GeneralArmy chef jailed for 46 months over explosives and homemade cannon More top stories → Browse all stories →