Dear Flood Wardens and Town & Parish Clerks
Environment Agency Flood Recovery Guide.pdf
As we continue to see impacts from Storm Bert, we would like to thank you for the work you do to keep your communities safe. In many areas, Storm Bert brought more than one month’s rainfall in one weekend. Nationally, nearly 70 river gauges recorded record levels, including at locations in Wessex.
After a flood
We have attached a guide to recovery actions that anyone affected can take. We would appreciate it if you could share this with your communities. This includes information on insurance and cleaning up. We would encourage you to upload this to Town & Parish Council websites and community social media pages.
Reporting Flooding
Please remind your communities to report flooding to us as soon as they can if their home or business has flooded. We understand it is a difficult time when people are affected by flooding however, we would encourage those affected to report property flooding as close to the event as possible: https://www.gov.uk/report-flood-cause
Reporting flooding helps us to understand the impacts on properties or communities and prioritise our response. By gathering information, specific issues impacting residents and communities are identified and recurring issues highlighted. The evidence from flood reporting is crucial in planning effective maintenance and justifying business cases for potential long-term solutions.
Once affected residents are able, we ask that they please submit a full report to floodreport.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/. This tool is available for residents across Wessex (the service is hosted by Dorset Council but is available for other local authority areas). The information provided is then shared with the risk management authorities to ensure it goes to the correct organisation depending on the source and impact of flooding. If the portal opens on the wrong FORT region, don't worry, you will be redirected when you identify a property affected.
Businesses
Many businesses have also been affected by flooding, with impacts not only on property but on livelihoods and the wider community. Flood Mary has produced a Business Flood Handbook, and The Flood Hub also has resources about business resilience and recovery.
Please direct any enquiries to our local customers and engagement team
Kind Regards
Flood Resilience Wessex, Flood & Coastal Risk Management
Environment Agency
