GovWire

Press release: January flooding in England

Environment Agency

January 5
00:00 2024

Significant river flooding impacts are expected today (Friday 05/01) and on Saturday across parts of the Midlands on the River Trent and in Gloucester, and also today in the South West on the River Avon due to the recent prolonged wet weather and intense rainfall.

The Environment Agency emergency responders and local authorities are helping to protect people and properties following the flooding across the Midlands, Southwest and Southeast with teams out on the ground across the nation, working to minimise the impacts of flooding where possible, operating flood defences and clearing watercourses

So far, more than 44,000 properties have been protected from flooding caused by Storm Henk in the last few days, the Environment Agency has confirmed.

While risks are likely to start reducing over the weekend, ongoing flood impacts are also likely across much of England over the next five days as some larger rivers slowly respond to recent and forecast rain. Many rivers are elevated and will remain so for several days.

Stefan Laeger, Flood Duty Manager at the Environment Agency, said:

Significant river flooding impacts are still expected today and on Saturday across parts of the East Midlands on the River Trent downstream of Nottingham, the River Severn including Gloucester and Tewkesbury and also today in the South West on the River Avon due to the recent prolonged wet weather and intense rainfall. Flood impacts are expected to continue over parts of England over the next five days as rivers and groundwater levels remain high, despite a change to drier weather.

Environment Agency teams are out on the ground, working to minimise the impacts of flooding where possible by operating flood defences and clearing watercourses. So far, more than 44,000 properties have been protected in the last few days. We also urge people not to drive though flood water and follow advice of local emergency services on the roads flood water is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.

People should check their flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings and keep up to date with the latest situation at https://www.gov.uk/check-if-youre-at-risk-of-flooding and follow @EnvAgency on X, formerly Twitter, for the latest flood updates.

For images of operational activity by the Environment Agency, please see the South West, South East, and Midlands teams accounts on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Sign up for flood warnings and the latest flood updateshere:

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