Sun-scorched ground at risk from future flooding

With many areas of the UK not seeing any significant rainfall since the end of May as a result of the exceptionally warm summer, the Know Your Flood Risk campaign is warning people to be prepared for when prolonged rain or thunderstorms arrive; the results of which have the potential to pose a real threat of flooding.

In its newly published edition of the Homeowners Guide to Flood Resilience, which is a free guide designed to support home owners in being ‘flood aware and prepared’, it has sections dedicated to learning about flood risks. This includes surface water flooding, which can occur when heavy downpours are unable to soak away or overcome surrounding drainage or sewerage systems.

The free guide offers assistance on how to protect your home, community-based defence options plus a new section specifically on Sustainable Drainage Solutions (SuDS). In addition, the guide includes helpful hints and tips relating to property-level resilience that encourage appropriate drainage with the aim of reducing surface water flooding.

Mary Dhonau OBE, chief executive of the Know Your Flood Risk and a champion for community-based flood resilience said “We need to take heed from historic events, for example, in 2012 many areas of the country badly were hit by flash flooding, after a series of storms that broke following a long period of dry conditions. Flooding can happen when people least expect it and, with the current hot conditions, the ground simply won’t be able to soak up rainfall and surface water flooding will pose a real threat.

“I am therefore urging the public to be flood aware. If we experience prolonged or exceptionally heavy downpours within the next few weeks, I fear that the hard, dry ground will be unable to absorb the rainfall and the drains and sewers may not be able to cope, leading to potential flooding.”