This afternoon (27 September 2024) Floods Minister Emma Hardy and Environment Agency Chief Executive Philip Duffy have met to discuss the response to the flooding experienced by the country in the last few days.
During the meeting, the Minister received a briefing on the latest situation on the ground and the response from the Environment Agency, emergency services and local authorities.
It follows the Met Office confirming that more than double the average amount of rainfall for September falling in a matter of days, leaving surface water and river flooding affecting large counties such as Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Shropshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire.
The heavy rain and thunderstorms have led to around 650 properties being flooded. However, the Environment Agency estimates that at least 8,200 have been protected. Over 58,000 properties received flood warnings over the past week.
Environment Agency teams remain on the ground across the country, checking flood defences, erecting temporary barriers, clearing blockages in storm drains and supporting local authorities in their response work.
Floods Minister Emma Hardy said:
Any flooding event is devastating for the people it affects and whilst we respond to this incident, we must learn quickly form it so we can better protect homes and businesses.
Emergency responders and volunteers across the country are to be praised for the efforts they have put in, but we more rain expected in the weeks ahead, I urge the public to sign up for flood advice.
Environment Agency Chief Executive Philip Duffy said:
My thoughts are with the people affected this week, and we will continue to do what we can to help with their flood recovery. I want to thank teams from the Environment Agency and our partners for their tireless efforts this week.
We are redoubling efforts to repair and maintain our flood defences and work with communities across the country to prepare for more wet weather this autumn.
Earlier this week, the Defra Secretary of State Steve Reed and Emma Hardy have visited communities in Northampton and Leighton Buzzard, meeting with first responders as well as flooded residents.
Attention is now turning to stepping up further preparations for the winter. Lessons learned from these floods are being fed directly into the new Floods Resilience Taskforce to speed up the development of flood defences, repair any that have been damaged in the flooding, and bolster the nation's resilience to extreme weather.
The Taskforce brings together the Secretary of State and Minister Hardy with representatives from Defra, MHCLG, Home Office, Cabinet Office, the Environment Agency, the Met Office, Local Resilience Forums, Mayoral Offices, emergency responders and the National Farmers Union, among others.
The Environment Agency has 250 high volume pumps either in action or on standby at strategic locations across the UK. They have also stepped up the maintenance of flood assets - with 216,000 checks on 75,000 flood assets conducted in the past year which is an increase from 150,000 in an average year.
