Two new flood warning services to go live in Devon

The Environment Agency has announced that they'll be offering new flood warning services in Dawlish and Coombe Martin from Wednesday 18th August.

Dawlish has experienced numerous flood events over the years, with significant flooding in 2012 being one of the most memorable events.  In Combe Martin flooding occurred in 1958 and 1960, and more recently in 2016.

Over 400 properties will be auto-registered to receive flood warnings for the Dawlish Water in Dawlish and over 250 for the River Umber in Combe Martin. 

Flood Warnings tell people about an imminent risk of flooding to their home or business and helps people make informed decisions about how to respond. There are three types of warning – Flood Alert, Flood Warning and Severe Flood Warning. Each warning type is triggered by particular weather, river or sea conditions which cause flooding.

Householders are encouraged to prepare if they receive a Flood Alert which could mean packing a bag that includes medicines, insurance documents and anything else they wouldn't want to lose if flooding were to take place. A Flood Warning calls on people to act now which means turning off gas, water and electricity and moving family and pets to safety. A Severe Flood Warning means you are in immediate danger and to follow advice from emergency services.

Ben Johnstone, Flood and Coastal erosion Manager – Devon, Cornwall & isles of Scilly, said: "We know the devastating impact that flooding can have, which is why protecting people and communities is our top priority.  However, the climate emergency means we cannot prevent all flooding – so we’re working to make communities resilient to future flooding.  We want to ensure that everyone has as much time as possible to prepare for flooding which is why we're pleased that people in Dawlish and Coombe Martin will now be able to receive our free flood warning service."

Additional funding from the Government has enabled the Environment Agency to invest in the latest technology and infrastructure needed to provide new flood warning services in Dawlish, Coombe Martin and over 200 other communities across England. In total an additional 62,000 properties at risk of flooding will receive Flood Warnings between now and the end of 2022. It is an important part of the implementation of the Environment Agency’s Flood and Coastal Risk Management Strategy to better protect businesses and homes from flooding and create climate resilient places.
Home and business owners will be auto enrolled to the Flood Warning service via their mobile network. However, to get the most benefit out of the service the Environment Agency is encouraging people to register directly with them by calling Floodline on 0345 988 1188, or visiting https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings where they can register preferred contact details.