Sudden torrential downpours on rain sodden land means that the water has nowhere to go.

Be prepared!

It’s not just Boy Scouts who should be prepared as England faces further possible flooding.

In South Derbyshire Mark Alflat, Director of Community Services, is calling on local people in Swadlincote and surrounding areas to take precautions to deal with potential flooding.

Says Mark Alflat, “We have staff on standby this weekend as the Met Office forecasts persistent rain on Sunday and severe rainfall on Monday. We have supplies of sandbags and sand in areas where we are expecting flooding, but the whole of the country is being affected by flash flooding.  Sudden torrential downpours on rain sodden land means that the water has nowhere to go.

“South Derbyshire District Council is ready with sandbags to help protect people’s homes but we cannot sandbag garages, outhouses and sheds.  We are such a large district with boundaries formed by the Rivers Trent, Dove, Derwent and Mease that if flooding occurs our resources could be stretched across 340 sq kms. People can help look after their property by going along this weekend to diy stores and buying sand and sandbags. It’s a very worthwhile investment especially when you consider that last year the country was struck by severe flooding even during the summer.”

People need to be careful when using sandbags. Mark Alflat warns, “When filled they weigh quite an amount so people with back and heart problems should enlist help in moving them.”

To find out more, please visit www.south-derbys.gov.uk/floods

Tags: Flooding, Swadlincote