Intense bouts of flooding are set to become more
frequent, the Environment Agency has warned today.
The warning follows a pattern of severe flooding over
the past 10 years linked to an increase in extreme
weather events as the country’s climate changes. Met
Office records show that since 1910 there have been 17
record breaking rainfall months or seasons – with 9 of
them since 2000. As intense storms are becoming more
frequent, sea levels are also rising because of climate
change.
The Environment Agency has today launched
its Flood Action
Campaign, targeting younger people through social
media and online advertising to encourage them to check
their flood risk at GOV.UK, sign up for free warnings
and be prepared to take action when flooding hits.
Research shows that 18 to 34 year olds are least likely
to perceive flood risk to their area, know how to
protect their homes or where to go for information.
They are also at highest risk of fatality as they are
less likely to perceive their personal risk.
Sir James Bevan, Chief Executive of the Environment
Agency, said:
Climate change is likely to mean more frequent and
intense flooding. Floods destroy – lives,
livelihoods, and property.
Our flood defences reduce the risk of flooding, and
our flood warnings help keep communities safe when it
threatens. But we can never entirely eliminate the
risk of flooding. Checking your flood risk is the
first step to protecting yourself, your loved ones
and your home.
In summer 2012, the lengthy period of drought the
country had experienced came to an abrupt end when
prolonged and intense rainfall increased the risk of
flooding from rivers and surface water for long
periods. Almost 8,000 homes and businesses were flooded
across the country, particularly in the south west.
The winter of 2013 to 2014 started with a coastal surge
and record sea levels on the north and east coasts.
This was followed by 12 storms in succession and became
the wettest winter for 250 years – 11,000 homes were
flooded.
Winter 2015 to 2016 brought widespread flooding to
17,000 properties across the north of England, with
named storms Desmond, Eva and Frank causing December
2015 to be the wettest month ever recorded.
The threat of flooding is real and increasing – as is
also demonstrated by its listing as one of
the nation’s major
threats.
Last year, the Met Office published new innovative
research which found that for England and Wales there
is a 1 in 3 chance of a new monthly rainfall record in
at least one region each winter.
By their very nature extreme events are rare and a
novel research method was needed to quantify the risk
of extreme rainfall within the current climate.
Professor Adam Scaife, who leads this area of research
at the Met Office, said:
“The Met Office supercomputer was used to simulate
thousands of possible winters, some of them much more
extreme than we’ve yet witnessed. This gave many more
extreme events than have happened in the real world,
helping us work out how severe things could get.”
