Flash Flooding could happen in your area: Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils have been alerted by the Environment Agency and the MET Office of localised flash flooding from rain expected overnight (July 5) to mid-day tomorrow (July 6). If you were in those areas in Mid Suffolk affected by the flooding on May 3, then there is a chance you could be affected overnight and into tomorrow morning.
What can I do now? You’ve had a flood warning and things look bleak – your home is about to flood. Despite a growing sense of panic, try to keep calm. There are things you can do now to try and minimise the damage to your property, to make the process of clearing up and sorting everything out after the floodwaters, a bit easier.
- Open doors and windows and smear the frame with silicone sealant, then shut and lock them to provide a watertight joint. For floods deeper than a metre, you should allow water to enter the property to prevent any structural damage that could be caused by a build up of water outside.
- If you have flood protection measures such as air-brick covers and door guards make sure you get them in place in plenty of time – they can under some circumstances (usually when the water rises and falls quite quickly in your area) make the difference between having floodwater in your house or not.
- If you haven’t bought any flood protection products see if you can cover windows, doors and airbricks with plywood, sandbags or metal sheeting. The Environment Agency has a practical guide to doing this at www.environment-agency.gov.uk.
- Have you moved as many possessions as you can upstairs? Try to move valuable and valued things (family mementoes, heirlooms etc.) upstairs if possible. Get everyone involved in helping – even children can take their toys upstairs for safekeeping.
- Move anything not fixed down such as dustbins and garden furniture to a safer location.
Are provisions in place for surviving the first few hours of the flood upstairs?
- Remember warm clothes, wellingtons, torches, battery operated radio, fully charged mobile phone, food & hot drinks (make these before you switch the power off).
- Any medication needed by your family, pet food (if you aren’t able to get your pets to another place prior to the flood), essential toiletries, rubber gloves, first aid kit.
- Make sure you have a list of useful numbers upstairs (or at least a telephone directory). These should include your insurers, numbers for somewhere to stay during the flood (family, friends, B&B, hotel, - if you are insured your insurers should pay for this – check your policy to make sure you are covered), kennels/cattery/petshop (if you need to make provision for pets)
- Turn off gas and electricity supplies – if you do get flooded do not attempt to put these on again until they have been checked by an expert – water may have got into the system and this could be dangerous.
- Think about your car – is it in danger of being flooded too? If so move it to higher ground.
Where do I look for further information/ Who do I contact?
The Environment Agency website: www.environment-agency.gov.uk
The Environment Agency Floodline on 0845 988 1188
National Flood Forum website: www.floodforum.org.uk
Mid Suffolk District Council emergency phone number: 0808 168 4555
Babergh District Council emergency phone number: 0808 168 4555