Parts of England are braced for flooding as Storm Cristoph starts to sweep across the country, bringing up to eight inches of rain to the hardest-hit areas. Flood warnings—meaning flooding is expected—have been declared for some parts of central and northern England and Wales, and many parts of the rest of the country are on flood alert. The Met Office has also declared an amber warning of rain for a large portion of central England, from South Yorkshire down to Peterborough. In some regions, fast-flowing or deep floodwater is likely, with potential danger to life, according to the Met Office. “We’re expecting surface and river water flooding to affect parts of northern England today and then northern, central and eastern England on Wednesday and Thursday, which could cause damage to buildings in some communities,” Craig Woolhouse, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said in a statement. “Heavy downpours falling on already …