Flooding

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• Flooding

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Using the latest available technology, staff monitor rainfall, river levels and sea conditions 24 hours a day and use this information to forecast the possibility of flooding. If flooding is forecast, warnings are issued using a set of four easily recognisable codes.

The following codes are used:

Flood alert

What it means - Flooding is possible.  Be prepared

When it's used - Two hours to two days in advance of flooding

What to do -

• Be prepared to act on your flood plan. 
• Prepare a flood kit of essential items. 
• Monitor local water levels and the flood forecast on the Environment Agency website. 

Flood warning

What it means - Flooding is expected.  Immediate action required.

When it's used - Half an hour to one day in advance of flooding.

What to do -

• Move family, pets and valuables to a safe place. 
• Turn off gas, electricity and water supplies if safe to do so. 
• Put flood protection equipment in place. 

Severe flood warning

What it means - Severe flooding.  Danger to life.

When it's used - When flooding poses a significant threat to life.

What to do -

• Stay in a safe place with a means of escape. 
• Be ready should you need to evacuate from your home. 
• Co-operate with the emergency services.
• Cll 999 if you are in immediate danger.

Warnings no longer in force

What it means - No further flooding is currently expected in your area.

When it's used - When river or sea conditions begin to return to normal.

What to do -

• Be careful.  Flood water may still be around for several days. 
• If you have been flooded, ring your insurance company as soon as possible. 

Flood warning service

The Environment Agency has recently upgraded its flood warning service. Residents in "at risk" areas are encouraged to sign up to the new service, which provides warnings direct to customers, 24 hours a day, via telephone, mobile phone, fax or pager. You can register for the service by:

• Using their online registration facility
• Telephone 0845 988 1188
• Typetalk: 0845 602 6340

If you don't know if your property is at risk of flooding then either ring 0845 988 1188 to find out or log on to the Environment Agency website and check the flood maps at www.environment-agency.gov.uk 

Useful contacts

• Foul Sewage Problem - Severn trent Water Authority 0800 783 4444
• Blocked Road Gullies - Our Customer Services Desk (01283) 595795
• Water on the highway - Derbyshire County Council (01629) 580 000
• Fire Brigade (for pumping out) - (01332) 771221
• Environment Agency Floodline (advice on river levels) 0845 988 1188

Information on flooding, and preparing for flooding if your property may be at risk and also what to do after a flood is available on Derbyshire County Council's website

For more information on the current flooding situation, visit the Environment Agency website.

When there is a risk of flooding the Environment Agency also issues warnings through the media; they are broadcast on TV weather bulletins and on radio weather and travel reports. Make sure you know which is your local radio station, the websites local to South Derbyshire are list below.  Flood warnings are also displayed on ITV Teletext regional weather pages (page 154) and on BBC Ceefax (page 419).

The Environment Agency provides the Floodline Service - Telephone Number 0845 988 1188. You can listen to recorded flood warning information or speak to an operator for general information and advice 24 hours a day.

What this council will do

Our approach to providing emergency assistance during times of flooding:

• We have no legal responsibility to provide assistance to residents during times of flood, however we have provided emergency assistance on an ad hoc basis depending on local knowledge and experience of the situation. 
• We will provide sandbags or other such equipment as it feels appropriate, if they are available, to assist with the defence from flooding to persons or property within the area. 
• We will keep a stock of filled sandbags during times of potential flooding to aid the speed of response. We will deliver the sandbags or other equipment where the owner/occupier is unable to collect them from Council's depot. It will be your responsibility to dispose of the sandbags once you are satisfied the risk of flooding has subsided. 
• We, as Land Drainage Authority, will provide engineering advice on ways you can alleviate the risk of flooding to your properties on request and issue general guidance to all properties in the area of their roles and responsibilities under the Land Drainage Act 1991. We will provide, if possible and where appropriate, during times of severe flooding, engineering advice on site to assist with the use of resources and control the situation. 
• We will assist with the announcement of Environment Agency flood warnings where appropriate. 
• Very serious flooding resulting in the need for evacuation of houses, provision of temporary accommodation and the like is covered by our Emergency Plan.

Events over the past few years have demonstrated that exceptional storms can cause flooding, when the drainage system is simply overwhelmed by the amount of water it is expected to carry. These events can also cause flooding to property from higher open land where a water course does not exist.

In addition, when the ground is saturated even small additional volumes of rainfall will find it difficult to drain away from gardens and enclosed spaces.

In times of emergency, we will try to protect the public generally and will not be able to assist a large number of individual homeowners who may find their properties threatened.

Contact details

South Derbyshire District Council
Grounds and Facilities
Civic Offices
Civic Way
Swadlincote
Derbyshire
DE11 0A

Tel: 01283 595756 
Fax: 01283 595720 
Online: contact form
email: grounds@south-derbys.gov.uk    

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