Flood wake-up call going unheard

Citation

(2002), "Flood wake-up call going unheard", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 11 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2002.07311aab.002

Flood wake-up call going unheard

Flood wake-up call going unheard

Hundreds of thousands of families across England and Wales are being urged to wake up to the dangers of flooding – before they wake up to a flood this winter.

Research by the Environment Agency shows that nearly 50 per cent of people living in flood-prone areas are oblivious to the risk and only one person in ten takes any action to prepare.

The findings come as scientists confirm evidence of increasing winter season rainfall and river flow extremes over the past 40 years.

Less than 12 months ago, the deluge of Autumn 2000 saw 10,000 homes and businesses flooded across England and Wales. In severely affected parts of the country, many families have not yet been able to return to their homes.

The Environment Agency estimates that up to 5 million people live in natural floodplains and could be affected if flood waters rise again this year, endangering 2 million homes and 185,000 businesses. Property, land and assets worth up to £214 billion could be hit.

A national television advertising campaign draws on the memory of floods in 1998, 1999 and 2000, asking people starkly "Do you really need another warning?"

The campaign urges people to "wise up to flooding" and call the Environment Agency's 24-hour Floodline, Tel: 0845 988 1188, for advice on how to prepare and make homes more resistant to flood damage. Floodline also gives details of flood warnings in force and free information on local warning services, clean-up and repairs.

During last year's floods, the agency's Floodline took 781,000 calls. At the peak of the crisis in November, Floodline was the second most commonly dialled number after 999.

Despite the dramatic events of last autumn, however, the agency is anxious that memories among those who escaped the direct impact of the floods could fade. Research shows that awareness of risk is increasing; calls to the agency's Floodline are rising, and the provision of flood risk maps online last autumn triggered massive public interest. Awareness is still not being turned into preventative action, however, by the majority of potential flood victims.

Agency research carried out by BMRB since last autumn showed that nearly one-third (29 per cent) of those who had been flooded before did nothing to minimise flood damage last year. Simple precautions like checking their insurance cover, preparing a flood plan, blocking doors with flood boards or sandbags, switching off gas and electricity and moving cars, furniture and valuables out of danger could have saved a lot of heartache.

Nearly half the people questioned who lived in risk areas but escaped earlier flooding took no action to be better prepared last year.

Environment Agency chairman Sir John Barman said: "Flooding is a real risk. It is one we know about, and one that people can do something practical about. Last year's floods were described as a 'wake-up' call, but there are signs that the alarm bells aren't ringing loudly enough to trigger action by many people. Our aim is for the public to recognise flooding as a regular risk for which they should prepare. At the moment, it seems that unless people can relate to the threat of flooding at a personal level they won't take action."

(News release from the UK Environment Agency, 17 September, 2001, 116/01)