More than 1,400 extra homes and businesses in Yorkshire will today automatically receive free flood warnings from the Environment Agency.
The free warnings service sends a message directly to householders if flooding from rivers or the sea is expected to affect their property. People signing up to the service can receive warnings direct to their landline, mobile, via text message or email.
The 1,400 extra homes are part of the opt-out registration of properties and the Environment Agency’s continued investment in flood warnings, including a pledge to increase the number of homes receiving free flood warnings by 180,000 by the end of 2015.
June 2012 was the wettest on record, while in July parts of England and Wales received more than the average monthly rainfall in less than 24 hours, causing many rivers across the country to rise to record levels. But tens of thousands of properties received an automated warning, giving homeowners the chance to take action in advance to protect their homes and belongings from floodwater.
New locations benefit from warnings
The Yorkshire locations that will benefit from the new opt-out warnings are:
West Yorkshire
• Keighley and Haworth - Bridgehouse Beck upstream of Bridgehouse Lane to Ebor Lane, tributaries of River Worth at Grey Scar Road to Hebble Row, North Beck at Holme Mill Lane to Worth Way
• Calderdale – River Calder at Brookfoot
• Kirklees - Woodsome Beck at Highburton
North and East Yorkshire
• Pocklington - Pocklington Beck.
• York/Harrogate/Thirsk – River Swale at Myton on Swale and Kirby Wiske, Cod Beck at Thirsk
South Yorkshire
• Barnsley - River Dearne at Broomhill.
• Barnsley, Mexborough, Doncaster: River Dearne at Bolton upon Dearne - Coniston Drive and Dearne Road
• Rotherham and Sheffield: River Don at Kilnhurst - Beighton Road, Springfield Road and Wharf Road
Humberside
• Fleet Drain at Hessle, North Sea coast at Tunstall and Withernsea (possible coastal flooding)
Take advantage of free warnings
“The new extended service will benefit many people across Yorkshire who currently are not taking advantage of our free warnings,” said the Environment Agency’s Flood Resilience Officer Danielle Wheatley.
“We would urge anyone whose property is at risk of flooding to sign up to Floodline Warnings Direct, which is also free and offers additional benefits. The threat of flooding can never be completely eliminated and receiving early warnings is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself and your belongings from flooding from rivers and the sea.”
The extension of the Environment Agency’s flood warning service was a key recommendation from the independent Pitt Review into the summer 2007 floods. The Environment Agency is also continuing to expand the number of areas in the country eligible for its free flood warning service.
Danielle continued: “One in six homes in England and Wales are at risk of flooding. We urge everyone to check whether their property is at risk by visiting the Environment Agency’s website and taking steps to prepare, such as looking at ways to make properties more resistant to floods.
“By automatically signing up these homes and businesses, we will give more people vital time to get prepared for flooding, and by doing so, protect lives and property.”
Sign up to Floodline Warnings Direct
Properties in a flood risk area may be eligible for Floodline Warnings Direct, which gives householders and businesses additional ways of receiving a free warning – by text message, email, pager or fax, as well as or instead of a landline call. A second nominated person, such as a carer, friend or relative, also can receive the warning.
The number of properties receiving free flood warnings across England and Wales has risen to an all time high, after six weeks of exceptionally high rainfall and summer flooding. A record 1.1 million homes can now receive direct automated warnings with 4,000 extra homes signing up since the start of June.
