The UK is “ill-prepared” to reply to floods, the British Red Cross has warned.
UK households are unprepared
It comes forward of contemporary warnings floor water flooding will grow to be extra widespread this winter and in early 2023.
In a brand new report, the charity estimates three in 4 individuals should not have an ample understanding of their space’s flood threat, with 4 in 5 individuals unaware of what to do if it happens.
Chris Davies, head of disaster response on the British Red Cross, instructed Sky News: “In every corner of the United Kingdom more of us are going to be impacted by flooding.
“As our summers get hotter, our winters grow to be wetter, we are going to expertise extra rainfall, and we’re all extra prone to expertise flooding”.
In July 2021, main flooding in London affected 1,500 properties and hit hospitals and public transport infrastructure.
Piri Ramazanoglu’s house in Ealing, west London, had been one of many houses affected. He instructed Sky News: “My household arrived again house after my two boys had a cricket match, and we found two inches of water in the home, which slowly grew to become an increasing number of.
“From the front light-well, the garden, the sinks, toilet and showers, sewage water was filling our property up until it was knee-high.
“We quickly realised this was the identical as a whole lot of properties round us too. It was very scary”.
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Piri’s son, Raphael, suffers from extreme allergy symptoms and the results of being uncovered to the sewage water of their house was virtually life-threatening.
Piri added: “Two days after the floods my son was lethargic and struggling to breath and was rushed to hospital where he was put on oxygen. They told us his respiratory system had been contaminated by the sewage.”
Following the flooding, Piri’s household stayed in a number of resorts as renovation and restore work was underneath means at their house. Construction work started in April this 12 months, 9 months after the flooding.
Piri added: “We were incredibly lucky because the insurance company paid for our temporary accommodation and repairs, but that’s not possible for everyone
“There’s a whole lot of duty on the person to take care of what occurs to their house due to flooding.
“I think instead there needs to be better accountability and action from the water companies, council and government. There were thousands of people’s lives at stake”.
There have been contemporary requires the UK authorities to spend money on infrastructure that tackles the results of turbulent climate, stopping floor water flooding the place attainable.
Stricter controls
Last week, a report from the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC)warned the variety of houses and properties in England susceptible to floor water flooding may double within the subsequent 30 years.
This is except £12bn is invested in drainage techniques and stricter controls on new property developments.
The fee stated elevated drainage capability and fewer reliance on present drainage techniques is required to deal with heavier rainfall, however extra sustainable choices ought to be thought-about earlier than digging extra pipes and sewers.
The fee’s suggestion of £12bn funding consists of decrease value, above-ground measures, similar to grassy channels, rain gardens and ponds, that are extra sustainable drainage options that profit wildlife.
A authorities spokesperson stated: “We are tackling surface water flooding through our £5.2bn flood defence programme, with over 30% of 2,000 new flood defences, including sustainable drainage systems, set to improve surface water management.
“We will carefully contemplate the findings of the NIC’s experiences forward of publishing our response in 2023.”
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Source: information.sky.com”