Bedford Borough Council urges residents to be flood aware

The threat of flooding is a major risk to many homes across Bedford Borough and the Council is urging residents to be flood aware this flood awareness week.

Within Bedford Borough, 2,345 homes and businesses are at risk of potential flooding from rivers and waterways. Alongside this, 5,280 properties have been identified as at risk of surface water flooding.

Even if you live in an area that has never flooded before, flooding can still affect you and put your home, possessions and family at risk. With climate change already causing more frequent, intense flooding as sea level rise, everyone should know what to do in a flood.

According to the Environment Agency, the average cost of flooding to a home is around £30,000. Flooding also brings a significant risk to life. The mental health impacts of flooding can last even after flooding has happened, with depression, anxiety and PTSD affecting up to a third of people who have been flooded.

Taking steps to prepare for flooding, and knowing what to do in a flood can significantly reduce the damages to a home and possessions (by around 40%), reduce risk to life, and reduce the likelihood of suffering from mental health impacts in the future. These steps could help keep you and your family safe, and save you thousands of pounds in damages and disruption. Visit the 'What to do in a flood' page on GOV.UK to get prepared: https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/what-to-do-in-a-flood.

Flooding is a serious risk to residents in Bedford Borough and it's important that people know the correct action to take during any emergency to keep themselves and their families safe.

With over 2,000 homes at risk of flooding in the borough, the Council are urging all residents to make sure they know what to do in the event of a flood. Taking a little bit of time to understand the best plan of action can dramatically reduce the risk of damage to your possessions and yourself.

Caroline Douglass, Director of Incident Management at the Environment Agency, said, "Flooding can cause serious disruption to people's lives. We can't prevent it, but we can help homeowners to be more flood resilient. Those who are aware of the risk and have done something about it are able to reduce damage to their homes and possessions considerably."

Residents in Bedford Borough can also visit the Council's website for information on what they can do before, during and after a flood: https://www.bedford.gov.uk/environmental-issues/emergencies/emergency-flooding-information/.