New flood warning services in the South East

15 Dec 2022 04:02 PM

Households urged to register for more targeted service as more than 3,000 properties in Kent and Surrey to benefit

The Environment Agency has launched new flood warning services for parts of Kent and Surrey. These came into effect on 7 December for a total of 3,259 properties in 6 new flood warning areas in the counties.

Properties at risk of flooding in Dorking, Horley, Redhill, Whitstable, Herne Bay and Folkestone are set to benefit from the new flood warning service.

The new areas have been created by targeting groups of households where during periods of flood-risk, the chances of flooding might be greater than the larger surrounding area. This will make the flood warnings they receive more targeted and enable the homeowners to take the steps they need to respond in good time.

Home and business owners will be automatically enrolled to the new flood warning service through their mobile phone network.

To get the most benefit out of the service, however, the Environment Agency is encouraging people to register directly with them by calling Floodline on 0345 988 1188, or visiting https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings where they can give their preferred contact details.

Emily Whittingham, an Environment Agency flood resilience engagement advisor said:

We want to ensure that everyone has as much time as possible to prepare for flooding, and over 3,000 more properties in Kent and Surrey will now be able to receive our free flood warning service.

We know the devastating impact that flooding can have, which is why protecting people and communities is our top priority.

The climate emergency means we cannot prevent all flooding – so we’re working to make communities resilient to future flooding.

Additional government funding has enabled the Environment Agency to invest in the latest, low-carbon technology and infrastructure needed to provide new flood warning services in Kent and Surrey and in more than 200 communities across England.

By March 2023, a total of 62,000 flood-risk properties nationally will be able to benefit from the expansion and reduce their harm from flooding, including many properties in rural and remote locations.

Locations of new services:

Households in the following areas in Kent and Surrey can now sign up to the Environment Agency’s free flood warning service:

Kent:

• Gorrell Stream – 363 households in Whitstable;
• Plenty Brook, Herne Bay – 1,139 households in Herne Bay and Eddington;
• Upper Pent, Folkestone – 302 households in Morehall and Cheriton.

Surrey:

• Earlswood Brook – 393 households in South Earlswood and Whitebushes, Redhill;
• Pipp Brook – 316 households in Wotton, Westcott and Dorking;
• Weatherhill Stream – 746 households in Smallfield and Weatherhill, Horley.

Flood Warnings:

• Flood warnings tell people about an imminent risk of flooding to their home or business and help them make informed decisions on how to respond.
• There are three types of warning – flood alert, flood warning and severe flood warning. Each warning type is triggered by particular weather, river or sea conditions that cause flooding.
• Householders are encouraged to prepare if they receive a flood alert, which could mean packing a bag that includes medicines, insurance documents and anything else they wouldn’t want to lose if flooding were to take place.
• A flood warning calls on people to act now which means turning off gas, water and electricity and moving family and pets to safety.
• A severe flood warning means you are in immediate danger and to follow advice from emergency services.

Further information

• 5.2 million properties in England are at risk of flooding
• The average cost of flood damage to a home is £30,000
• The average cost of flooding to a business is £82,000
• If you are flooded, temporary accommodation costs on average £10,000
• If you are flooded, you are likely to be out of your home for an average of 5 months
• Know what to do when you receive a flood warning and download our three-point flood plan - https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/what-to-do-in-a-flood