Flooding in Wales
Over 5 million people in England and Wales live and work in places that are at a risk of flooding from rivers or the sea. Some places have a higher risk of flooding and therefore may flood more frequently than others. In the future, climate change may make flooding happen more often.
Environment Agency Wales is one of lots of organisations who work to keep us safe. During a flood in Wales, the emergency services (police, fire, ambulance) will work together with local authorities and Environment Agency Wales to make sure that communities are as safe as possible.
The Environment Agency offers a special service which gives early warnings to people to warn them of possible flooding. This is called the Floodline Warnings Direct service. If this special service is available near your home or school, you can sign up to receive flood warnings by phone, email or text. Visit the Environment Agency's website here or phone Floodline on 0845 988 1188 and give your address and postcode.
New flood warnings!
Have a look below to see Environment Agency Wales' NEW FLOOD WARNING CODES! These are simple to understand, have local information and give clear advice about what to do. Make sure you know what the new codes mean:
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A flood alert will mean flooding is possible. People should make some plans, think about what they would have to do in a flood and keep an eye on the situation. |
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A flood warning will mean flooding of homes and businesses is very likely. People should take action to make sure they and their family are safe, and try to reduce the impact of the flood (such as moving important items to a safe place). |
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A severe flood warning will mean worse flooding is likely, with danger to life. People should get to a safe place with a way of escape, and be ready in case they have to leave. Listen to the advice of the emergency services. |
People may see or hear these warnings through the Floodline Warnings Direct service and also on television weather broadcasts, local radio stations and the internet. Have a look here for the most up to date flood information.
Environment Agency Wales also makes maps to show places that are at risk of flooding. These maps are available on the Environment Agency Wales website. Click here to find out if your area might flood. Do you live or go to school in an area that might flood?
Measuring the changes in water levels in rivers is just one of the many jobs done by Environment Agency Wales. River level information is now on the internet so people can check LIVE river level measurements. Click here to look at the river levels near you.
Find out more about places that might flood, what to do during a flood, current river levels near you and much more at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/flood
Flood Awareness Wales
Environment Agency Wales has a project called 'Flood Awareness Wales'. The aim of Flood Awareness Wales is to make sure everyone living in an area that might flood is aware of their own risk and knows what to do to protect their family and their homes if they are flooded. As part of this, Flood Awareness Wales has taken a giant pair of welly boots on a roadshow all over Wales to talk to people about flood risk. There are also special teams of flood awareness officers who knock on doors in places that might flood to talk to people about how they can plan for a flood.
Find out more about Flood Awareness Wales by visiting
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/floodwales
Flood defence schemes
As well as talking to people about their flood risk, Environment Agency Wales also builds flood defence schemes to help reduce the risk of flooding in Wales. Flood defence schemes can help protect a town or village from flooding. You might know of flood defences along a river near you protecting a town, village, road or railway line. Climate change and different weather patterns may mean flooding could become worse in the future. This means we cannot just count on flood defences to protect us, so it is important everybody living in a place that might flood knows what they can do to help protect their families and their homes.
Activities
Here are a few ideas for activities you could try at home or with your class at school:
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Find out about the risk of flooding in and around where you live or go to school. Use the Environment Agency website to help you.
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Look at the river levels for a river near your home or school. Use the weather forecast to think about what might happen to the river.
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Have a look at the Environment Agency advice guides on what to do before, during and after a flood:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/31624.aspx
Downloads
Think about possible sources of flooding and the dangers that all types of flooding may have
Find out about ways to reduce the impact of flooding to your home
Decide what you would include in a flood kit
