Be alert to future flooding: Flood Action Week

Flood Action Week this week (14-20 October) aims to increase awareness of the risk of flooding and what to do to prepare.

SKDC shares flood warnings on its social media channels www.southkesteven.gov.uk/getsocial

Or people can sign up for their own alerts via www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings

In England, the Environment Agency provides three types of flood warning:

• flood alert – flooding is possible so householders should “prepare”
• flood warning – flooding is expected; householders should “act now”
• severe flood warning – flooding could be a risk to life and significant disruption to communities

Cabinet Member for Property and Public Engagement, Cllr Richard Cleaver, said: “All flood alerts and flood warnings must be taken seriously, as there are different actions recommended to each stage.

“However, severe flood warnings can be issued before, during or after flooding, and should be acted upon immediately.

“There is lots of specific advice on how to be aware of potential flooding, how to prepare your home and what to do if the worst happens.

“Anyone who rents their home from the council and it becomes flooded should contact the Housing Team on 01476 40 60 80, out of hours this is 01476 40 60 40.”

Advice is available for anyone affected by flooding at:

https://www.lincolnshireresilienceforum.org/risks/river-surface-groundwater-flooding 

To report flooding inside a property, call Lincolnshire County Council's flood line on 01522 782082 at any time. External flooding should be notified to www.fixmystreet.com

During extreme weather conditions where flooding is likely, the first actions to be taken are:

• Keep children and pets away from the flooded areas
• If it's safe to do so, isolate all electrical circuits by turning off the supply at the circuit board or fuse box
• Contact your insurance provider to report the damage and make a claim (keep receipts of emergency expenses). Any claims for loss or damage must be directed to your insurance provider
• If it's safe to do so, take photos of the flooded area – these could support your insurance claim
• If you live in a rented property, you should contact your landlord and let them know

People who rent from a housing association or a private landlord need to make them aware of the situation as they are responsible for the building.  

Full details: www.southkesteven.gov.uk/flooding