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Hundreds of homes flooded and residents evacuated as warnings remain in place
Flood warnings and alerts remain in force across the country after a number of major incidents led to residents being evacuated from hundreds of homes.
The Environment Agency issued a national emergency alert due to risk of life at the start of this week after heavy rain has severely impacted places such as Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.
Although some flood warnings have been removed in the past 24 hours, there are still currently 79 flood warnings and 150 flood alerts across the country.
Snow on Saturday evening, along with heavy sleet and rain, caused a number of rivers to burst their banks.
The extreme weather, which has continued since New Year’s Eve, has caused flood damage to more than 300 properties, with further flooding being investigated, the Environment Agency estimates.
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There is a severe flood warning, which means flooding poses a danger to life, in Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire.
Most at risk is Proctor’s Pleasure Park, a caravan park where incident response staff are patrolling watercourses close to the area.
Stefan Laeger, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: “The recent heavy rain combined with melting snow means it is probable significant river flooding will continue in Leicestershire today, with minor river flooding probable in some other parts of the country, continuing through to Thursday for some larger rivers.
“Environment Agency teams continue to be out on the ground, operating flood defences, taking action to reduce the impact of flooding, issuing flood warnings and supporting those communities affected.
“We urge people to remain vigilant over the next few days and advise anyone travelling to be especially careful and urge people to stay away from swollen rivers and not to drive through flood water as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car.”
The areas that have been most affected are Leicestershire and Lincolnshire. Flood warnings remain in place across North Yorkshire, Liverpool and Cheshire.
In Leicestershire there has been a large-scale evacuation as a response to a severe flood warning. The region’s fire and rescue service was the first to declare a major incident as it responded to 380 calls and attended 56 flooding incidents.
There are 20 areas that are most at risk, including near the River Soar, the River Trent and the River Wreake.
Judi Beresford, assistant chief fire and rescue officer in at Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We are incredibly proud of our crews, control and staff for all their outstanding work and efforts during this major incident.
“We also want to thank the public for their support so far and urge them to continue following safety advice, such as avoiding flooded areas, not driving through floodwater, and checking on vulnerable neighbours.
“These small actions can make a big difference in keeping everyone safe.”
Ozzy O’Shea, lead member for highways and transport at Leicestershire County Council, said: “Please do only travel if necessary and don’t attempt to drive through or wade through flood waters.
“We are also urging motorists to take care over the next few days as we are expecting freezing conditions, which will be challenging.
“Once flood water has receded, relevant agencies will carry out investigations into the potential causes of flooding if necessary.
“The effects of climate change are leading to more frequent flood events, so we are urging residents to ensure that they are prepared for flooding.”
The BBC reported that Leicestershire’s rescue services worked through the night of 7 January to help residents escape their flooded homes in the Belgrave area of Leicester.
Lincolnshire also declared major incidents as a result of the flooding. A total of 88 homes have been confirmed to have been flooded, with most being in Boston and South Kesteven.
While the flooding appears to have reduced and some residents are able to return to their homes, there are 12 road closures across the county and people have been cautioned against passing through these roads.
In North Yorkshire there are 10 flood warnings and 12 flood alerts in place.
Areas that are forecasted to be most affected include Holderness Drain, specifically low-lying land and roads on the east side of the River Hull at Tophill Low.
Floods minister Emma Hardy said: “My thoughts are with the people, businesses and communities impacted by the recent flooding across the country.
“I continue to speak with officials from the Environment Agency and MPs to ensure that impacted communities are receiving the necessary support.
“I want to express my heartfelt thanks for the vital work that the Environment Agency and emergency services are doing to keep people safe.
“The government is working at pace to accelerate the building of flood defences through our new Floods Resilience Taskforce, so we can continue to protect people and their homes.”
It is the second extreme weather event in recent months that has caused residents to be evacuated, after major flooding caused by Storm Bert in November led to “significant challenges” for tenants across South Wales.
