17 flood warnings issued throughout the UK. Are you prepared?
Warnings from the Met Office and Environment Agency suggest that homes and businesses throughout England and Wales are at risk from extreme weather.
Wind and rain has caused chaos over the past month. And with winter only just arriving, the worst is still to come for a large number of areas.
In the last week of November, an astonishing 103 flood alerts were in place throughout England and Wales, meaning flooding is possible, along with 17 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected and immediate action is required.
The increase in flooding over recent years means an additional consideration as we prepare our homes and businesses for winter. As well as checking our heating systems are serviced and fuelled, and our cars are up to scratch, it is important to be prepared for the possibility of flooding. Sandbags, pumps, emergency lighting and a backup generator are fast becoming part of our routine survival kit for the winter months.
Higher risk
The number of severe floods has been steadily increasing over recent years, and the subject was brought into sharp focus by the major floods of 2007, which affected all of the UK, from Scotland to the South West and from South Wales to North Yorkshire and cost six people their lives.
The tragedy led to a formal government investigation, known as the Pitt Review, which acknowledged that flooding is a major risk to a growing number of people – in particular, it noted that around a quarter of the properties that flooded in the summer of 2007 were built over the preceding 25 years. The Review recommended measures to make new and refurbished homes more resilient to flooding.
Two years later, the floods of November 2009 affected Cumbria and the Republic of Ireland particularly severely, resulting in two fatalities, and in 2012, a series of supercell storms hit various parts of the UK. A number of rivers burst their banks and millions of pounds’ worth of damage was caused to homes and businesses across the country.
Since then, major floods have become an annual event, and this year is set to be no different. Flooding is listed in the top three risks presented by climate change, and a report commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation concluded that more than two million are currently at risk and this figure will rise by more than 50% by 2050.
Ready for Anything
A key preparation for those at risk is to consider the hire or purchase of a suitable pump along with a portable power generator. When a home, business or road becomes flooded, pumps are used to clear the water as quickly and efficiently as possible.
There are a diverse range of generators to choose from, for either domestic or commercial applications. Depending on the size and type, they can perform a variety of tasks from operating a pump to providing full power backup to a large business.
By choosing to hire a generator from Templant, you do not have to worry about reliability or maintenance as we fully manage every generator we hire out. This includes regular service checks at the necessary intervals, so you can be certain that emergency power is available whenever you need it. We also have a rapid response team on hand 24/7, 365 days a year, who can deal with any problem that arises.
Photo: “Flooded Tooting Broadway” by Kirsteen.
