NEWSROOM
  1. Home
  2. Council publishes guidance as weather warnings issued

Council publishes guidance as weather warnings issued

As the Meteorological (Met) Office issues another yellow weather warning today for heavy rain, Telford & Wrekin Council urges residents to make themselves aware of flood risks in their area.

Published on: 16 October 2024
Yellow weather warning
Yellow weather warning - Heavy Rain October 16. 6-9pm

At this time of year, periods of long and intense rainfall cause the ground to become saturated and water that cannot be held, causes flooding seen as surface water on streets and roads. This kind of flooding can pose more issues than rivers overtopping their banks.  

However, some surface water flooding can affect many more people and properties and can happen many miles from a river or stream, often in unexpected areas.

This type of surface flooding is often made worse by surface water carrying debris and leaves to the lowest points of a road, covering drains, despite regular cleaning.

Councillor Richard Overton, (Lab) Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Highways, Housing & Enforcement said: “If you see a road flooded, please do not to drive through the water – it is often deeper than it looks, and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.”

The council is urging people in areas known to experience surface flooding to read the guidance below in order to be as prepared as possible.

 

Q How do I know if my property will be at risk of surface flooding?
A Check this website: https://www.gov.uk/check-long-term-flood-risk

Q Who to contact during a flood:

  • Emergencies: If there is risk of serious illness, injury or risk to life, call 999.
  • Flooding on local roads: If you see flooding in local roads, report it to Telford and Wrekin Council at Telford.gov.uk/mytelford
  • Major roads (eg M54): Contact the Highways Agency on 0300 123 5000.
  • Major river flooding (breaking banks): Contact the Environment Agency flood hotline on 0345 988 1188.
  • Sewer flooding: If you see sewer contents flooding from a manhole, call Severn Trent Water straight away on 0800 783 4444.

Severn Trent advise these simple tips to help protect your home from flooding.

  • Check your home and garden drains - Take a few minutes to check the drains around your home and garden. Are they clear from leaves and other waste? If they’re blocked, the rain won’t drain away.
  • How about roadside drains? If you can, and it is safe to do so, check any roadside drains outside your home too. If these are blocked with leaves/debris heavy rainfall could cause flooding. Try and clear any rubbish or leaves if you can.
  • Do you have a garden water butt? An empty water butt can collect more rainwater. So give your garden a treat and use its contents now - you’ll stop too much water going into your drains when it rains.

Useful contacts:

  • For general advice, call the Environment Agency’s 24-hour flood hotline on 0345 988 1188.
  • The National Flood Forum has a helpline that provides general support before, during and after a flood, including home resilience and insurance. Contact the charity on 01299 403 055.

Travel & Transport

Preparations for flooding Whilst it’s not possible to remove all risk of flooding, there are some actions that you can take to help protect your property and those who live there

Know the risk

Make a flood plan