‘Do not drive or walk through flood water’
Authorities are warning that as little as 30cm of standing water is "enough to sweep you off your feet" Watch more of our videos on Shots! and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now[1]The Local Resilience Forum have this afternoon (Tuesday January 2) released a statement after hours of heavy rain has caused severe flooding in parts of the town. The forum is urging people not to move through flood water, as "just 30cms of water is enough to sweep you off your feet".
A spokesman for the Local Resilience Forum (LRF), which manages emergency planning in the county, said: "The Environment Agency[2] is closely monitoring the situation and working closely with partners including police and fire. "We ask members of the public to not drive or walk through flood water as just 30cms of water is enough to sweep you off your feet." Following the heavy rain fall and flood warnings from the Environment Agency, high water levels have been seen on the River Nene and the Northamptonshire Washlands reservoir.
This includes Cogenhoe Mill and Billing Aquadrome caravan sites as well as the middle Nene.
Drone footage above Billing Aquadrome as flood sirens sounds on January 2, 2024.Photo: Alan Smith.
The Environment Agency, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, Northamptonshire Police, as well as health agencies and West Northamptonshire Council are working together to deal with the situation.
Police added that the Northampton Washlands reservoir is currently storing flood water however this is expected to reach capacity by this evening which will result in increased levels downstream of the reservoir in the Nene valley.
References
- ^ Visit Shots! now (www.shotstv.com)
- ^ The Environment Agency (www.northamptonchron.co.uk)