England, UK – Severe weather conditions have left a trail of flooding across England, with over 1,000 properties affected this week, according to the Environment Agency. The heavy downpours, coupled with Met Office weather warnings, have resulted in significant travel disruptions and widespread concerns about flooding.
Despite improving weather conditions and forecasts of drier weather over the weekend, hundreds of flood warnings and alerts were still in effect on Friday morning, signalling ongoing risks. The Environment Agency explained that the reason for these continued warnings is the ground’s saturation, making further flooding likely.
Data provided by the agency indicates that nearly every river in England is currently at exceptionally high levels, with some rivers experiencing their highest flow on record. One such example is the River Itchen in Southampton, which witnessed a flow twice its previous record in December.
Caroline Douglass, the agency’s flood director, highlighted the concerning situation, stating that the River Trent has reached some of its highest levels in 24 years. She informed BBC Breakfast that more than 1,000 properties have already been flooded this week, with the number expected to rise.
Douglass explained, “We have had very wide rainfall. Over November and December, following Storm Babet and Storm Ciaran, the ground was incredibly saturated right across the country, particularly in the east. But also that’s just been topped up over the pre-Christmas period. That rainfall from this week has just added to that, so there’s really nowhere for the water to go.”
Residents concerned about potential flooding in their area can check for flood warnings and alerts issued by the Environment Agency. As of now, there are 268 flood warnings indicating that flooding is expected, and 287 flood alerts suggesting that flooding is possible.
To access the live map and check for flood warnings or alerts in your location, you can visit the Environment Agency’s website. Enter your town, city, or postcode for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
In addition to immediate flood alerts, the Environment Agency’s website provides resources for monitoring long-term flooding in England. This includes information on current flood warnings or alerts, river, sea, groundwater, and rainfall levels, as well as flood risk predictions for the next five days.
For residents in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, please be aware that different services are available to check flooding in these regions, and you should refer to the respective environmental agencies for relevant information.
