New Delhi: The UK Environment Agency urged the public to prepare for floods as the country marks the annual Flood Action Week. The week-long campaign, scheduled between 14 and 20 October, coincides with the one-year anniversary of Storm Babet, which brought significant flooding across the UK.
According to authorities, Storm Babet brought England and Wales their third wettest three-day period since 1891. The Environment Agency protected nearly 96,900 properties during the storm, but around 2,150 were flooded, the release stated.
This year’s Flood Action Week is aimed at reminding people that they can take steps to reduce the devastation caused by floods to their homes and businesses. Around 5.5 million properties in England are at risk from flooding, and the Environment Agency says that nearly half the country is unsure of how to find information on local flood risks, the release added.
Caroline Douglass, Environment Agency Executive Director of Flood and Coastal Risk Management, said, “Climate change means extreme weather events are happening more frequently, and we have already seen an unusually wet September this year. We can’t always predict where the rain will fall or where flooding will occur, but we do know which areas are at risk.”