A LEADING flood campaigner has described the near record-breaking floods in the county as ‘overwhelming’ and called for more to be done to manage the danger posed by winter storms.
Mary Dhonau spoke out after the River Severn flooded large swathes of south Worcestershire while levels on the Avon and Isbourne briefly rose as the worst of Storm Dennis struck the area.
Evesham escaped the worst of the flooding with the Avon receeding within 24 hours of flooding the south of the town which left Waterside and surrounding roads closed for the second time this winter after November’s floods.
Meanwhile in Pershore, a number of roads were closed with Wyre Piddle badly affected by flooding.
Speaking to the Observer, Mrs Dhonau said: “These floods are pretty overwhelming, we have seen the Environment Agency break records with the number of flood warnings issued in a single day, we have seen river levels surpassing all records, we have seen normally slow rising rivers rising quickly.
“We have had floods in Yorkshire last week, they are on their knees and now they are here. This winter has been the wettest I have known, it started raining in September and basically it hasn’t stopped and the ground is absolutely saturated.”
The keen campaigner said more investment was needed in flood risk management, not just in new flood defences.
“I look on flood risk management as a jigsaw puzzle with lots of different pieces coming together to reduce flood risk. We can never stop flooding but we can reduce the impact,” she said.
“I’m a passionate advocate for recoverable repair, when people are flooded they work with insurers to ‘build back better’ to reduce the flood risk.
“I honestly think this is the way to go to help homeowners and businesses to recover and get on with their lives as quick as they can,” she added.
Chief Supt Tom Harding from West Mercia Police warned residents to not venture too close swollen rivers or floodwater and follow flood advice.
Visit www.flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings for more.
