Are you ready for flooding?
The UK is experiencing more frequent and severe flooding due to climate change, putting about one in six properties at risk. According to a recent report by The National Trust1, many organisations are not ready for the increased risk. So, what should you do to prepare for a flood? What changes should you make? And how should you respond to a flood emergency? Here, we provide information and essential tips on preparing for and dealing with a flood.
What is a flood?
A flood occurs when water exceeds its normal boundaries, particularly on usually dry land. The 'return period' indicates the statistical chance of an event of a certain magnitude happening within a single year. For instance, a 100-year flood means there is a 1% probability of it happening in any given year. This does not mean it will only happen once in 100 years - it could occur more than once in a year, annually, or within a specific time frame.
What are the three types of flood?
Each of the flood types has a different impact in terms of how it is forecast, the damage it causes and the protection required:
- River flood (also known as a fluvial flood)
This occurs when the water level in a river, lake, or stream rises and overflows onto neighbouring land, which could be due to excessive rain or snowmelt.
- Surface water and flash flood (also known as a pluvial flood)
Extreme rainfall can lead to flooding, even if you're not near a body of water. When urban drainage systems are overwhelmed, surface water accumulates. Flash floods occur when intense rain falls rapidly, leading to a swift and forceful flow of water that can carry debris. This problem is worsened during a heatwave, as dry and compacted ground cannot absorb excess water.
- Storm surge (also known as coastal flooding)
Coastal flooding, known as a storm surge, occurs when seawater floods land near the coast. This usually happens during intense windstorms and tsunamis. The surge is caused by high winds and low pressure forcing water onto the shore, often associated with hurricanes or typhoons.
Learning about your area’s flood risk
Understanding the flood risk your property is exposed to is crucial for being prepared. A Flood Risk Assessment can help assess the source of flooding, its potential impact, and suggest measures to increase resilience. While past flooding events may not predict future ones, knowing about historical floods can aid in planning and building resilience. You can access historical records online or request information from risk management authorities.
Warning systems
Flood warnings can be received by telephone, mobile, email, SMS text message or fax, giving you time to prepare and can consist of:
Flood Alert: Monitor local news, be aware of water levels near you, be prepared to act on your flood plan, check on the safety of pets and livestock, charge your mobile phone, and make a list of what you can move away from the risk.
Flood Warning: Move cars, pets, food, valuables, and important documents to safety. Turn off gas, electricity, and water supplies if it is safe. Put flood protection equipment in place, roll up carpets and rugs, and hang curtains over rods. Move or secure large or loose items in your garden. Inform friends, neighbours, and relatives that you may need to leave your home.
Severe Warning: Collect things for evacuation, turn off utilities if safe, stay in a high place with a means of escape, avoid electricity sources, listen to emergency services, dial 999 if in danger, and avoid walking or driving through flood water.
All Clear: Return if you are told it is safe, but beware of sharp objects and pollution in the water, and ask the advice of your insurance company before starting to clean up.
There are no pluvial flood warning systems in place but there are sources that can help you prepare for flash flooding, such as the Met Office Severe Warning system, the Environment Agency flood helpline(0845 988 1188), or listen to local radio.
Taking preventative measures
To prevent flooding, it's important to take certain measures such as raising infrastructure, tiling floors and walls, raising floor levels, using water-resistant materials, and installing plasterboard horizontally instead of vertically. Before taking any action, it's a good idea to conduct a Property Flood Resilience (PFR) survey. It's also crucial to maintain drainage systems, including sewers, gutters, downpipes, ditches, brooks, and streams, to reduce the risk of flooding. For more information on property flood resilience, you can visit: https://thefloodhub.co.uk/
A Flood Emergency Response Plan is an important tool to help reduce the damaging impact of a flood on your property, business, and employees. You should establish different flood trigger levels to allocate corresponding actions and resources at each level. Once created, training all staff, practising the plan, and learning what works well and what doesn’t is important. You should also involve external emergency response services in the planning and training of your plan.
In the event of a flood, follow the Flood Warning advice given above in the section on Warning Systems. In addition, weigh down plugs for sinks, as plug holes can let in water, and use sandbags to cover the building’s vents, doors, lower windows, and air bricks to reduce the amount of water that can get in. (Remove when the flood has passed, remove to allow air to circulate.) If you smell gas, call the National Grid immediately.
Making a claim
Weather-related losses, mainly from storms and floods, account for 14% of claims1, with the average cost of a flood-related claim being £98,178, according to Zurich Commercial claims data. If you need to make a claim, contact NLIG and we will be happy to talk to your insurance company on your behalf, liaising with loss adjusters and working out the best way to get your property back to normal and more resilient against flooding in the future.
Our business is your protection. To talk us about your property insurance policy and how to protect your home or business against the risk of flooding, please call us on 01992 703 300 or email insurance@nlig.co.uk
Source
1.publicfirst.co.uk: Making Climate Adaptation Matter