8 Reasons Why Flood Damage is Such a Big Issue

In an article by Bob Ward Policy and Communications Director, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment published in The Huffington Post (20 July 2016), he touches on at least 8 reasons why the risk of future flood damage in the UK must not be under-estimated, as follows:

1. The relative likelihood of inland flooding occurring in the next five years is between 1-in-20 and 1-in-200. [‘National Risk Register of Civil Emergencies’]
2. Six of the UK’s seven wettest years since records began (in 1910) have occurred from 2000 onwards.
3. Global warming means that the temperature of the lower atmosphere is increasing, which results in it being able to hold more water, hence leading to more intense downpours.
4. The ‘UK Climate Change Risk Assessment 2017’, published last week by the Committee on Climate Change, warned that 2.7 million properties in the UK are at some risk of flooding, with surface water caused by heavy rainfall threatening the most homes and businesses.
5. Surface water flooding threatens more properties in the UK than other forms of flooding.
6. Surface water flooding was largely responsible for more than £3 billion in damage during summer 2007.
7. As The Guardian exclusively revealed in April, London Underground has acknowledged that 57 Tube stations in the capital are vulnerable to surface water flooding.
8. In June 2015, the Committee found that more than 4500 properties are still being built each year in areas of medium or high flood risk.

“If the new Government is to avoid increased flood risk putting the UK’s economy under even greater strain over the next few years ….the Prime Minister and her Cabinet will need to heed the advice of experts about the impacts of climate change on Britain,” warns Ward.

Forecasted flood damage set to keep the flood damage restoration experts busy

With more commercial and residential properties under threat from the above trends, owners need to be both looking at flood prevention options and be ready to bring in professional flood damage restoration experts, in the event of flooding.

Rainbow International has experience in flood damage restoration and has a wealth of technical expertise and knowledge in disaster recovery. It is used by many of the UK’s major insurance companies on their domestic and commercial policyholder’s claims. Rainbow International has over 70 branches across the UK.

Bob Ward is policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

To read the full article visit Huffington Post.