Belper Residents Reminded To Be Prepared For Floods

With winter approaching, Derby County Council are reminding householders to check if their home is at risk of flooding and to make preparations for future heavy rainfall if it is.

There are seven flood alerts currently in place for Derbyshire this week following Storm Angus, which means flooding is possible and people should be prepared.

As many of Belper residents may have noticed, recent heavy rainfall across Derbyshire has raised local river levels. Areas around the following brooks and rivers are affected:

• Bottle Brook
• Lower Derwent
• River Amber
• River Ecclesbourne
• River Erewash
• River Trent
• River Wye

In Derbyshire more than 45,000 homes are at risk of flooding including around 12,000 susceptible to flash flooding.

Storm Angus has brought with it torrential rain, strong winds and freezing temperatures with river levels rising dramatically in less than 32 hours.

The Council issued the following simple reminders to residents, outlining what can be done to help protect homes and businesses:

• assess your own risk – have you previously been affected by flooding or had a near-miss?
• if you are at risk, keep a stock of sandbags handy − we provide packs of 10 empty sandbags free of charge in 15 of its libraries
• stock up with sand from a local DIY store or builders’ merchant to fill the sandbags in preparation.

Find the nearest library stocking empty sandbags or request a free pack by email: emergency.planning@derbyshire.gov.uk (please provide your name, address and contact number).

Packs are limited to one per household although further packs will be considered in certain cases.

The council also advises drivers against driving through floodwater as this is dangerous, can make flooding worse for kerb-side properties and tie up emergency services if a vehicle gets stranded.

The Cabinet Member for Health and Communities Councillor Dave Allen is urging people to find out if their area is at risk and to take action if it is.

He said: “The recent storm hit Derbyshire fairly hard and has made the ground saturated and affected the drainage system – putting homes, businesses and people at risk. We’re urging residents to check if their area is at risk and if so, to make the necessary arrangements.

“If your area has been affected by flooding in the past or has had a near miss, it could mean that it is prone or more susceptible to flood. Make sure you’re prepared and don’t wait until it’s too late.”

You can sign up to receive flood warnings at the Environment Agency’s website (opens in a new window) or find out more information and advice about flooding.