Six million homes in England could be at risk of flooding

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A study by the Environment Agency found that over six million homes are at risk according to the latest climate projections. At the same time new modeling shows that the number of homes expected to flood has increased much more than originally expected.

There are currently 6.3 million properties in England located in areas at risk of flooding from a single river or a combination of rivers, sea and surface water. Of the total number of properties at risk 4.6 million are at risk of flooding from surface water. This situation occurs when extreme rains cause drainage systems to become overwhelmed resulting in flooding. The projection represents a 43% increase over the Environment Agency's previous assessment.

The study further reveals that 2.4 million properties are located in areas at risk of flooding from rivers and the sea. This is an 88% increase in the number of properties with the highest level of flood risk where there is a greater than one in thirty chance of flooding in a given year.

In early December, Storm Darragh caused massive damage across the UK. The floods claimed two lives and tens of thousands of residents faced power outages. The rainfall was so heavy that even road and train traffic was paralyzed. The rainfall caused extensive damage to many homes and businesses.

Unfortunately flood defense plans in England have been cut by forty percent in recent years due to underinvestment in defences. A quarter of major projects were canceled leading activists to call on the government to strengthen its climate plans.

Source:Guardian/Editorial