Flood warnings still in place on Saturday evening
Towns and villages in Babergh and Mid Suffolk have been among the worst hit by flooding, and will continue to get coordinated support from public bodies across Suffolk – led by Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils.
This evening, flood warnings remain in place in a number of areas, including the Dedham Vale, Stowmarket, Needham Market, Hadleigh and Debenham.
Council teams have been working with emergency service colleagues since Friday to support those hit by flooding. There has also been a huge community effort, including people helping their neighbours, farmers carrying out rescues, and numerous volunteers stepping up.
Public agencies in Suffolk are still responding to the impact and threats posed by the severe flooding, but are now able to do so within existing resources and without the need for tight coordination by the Suffolk Resilience Forum (SRF).
This means the major incident status to Storm Babet has been 'stood down' – but people are urged to remain cautious and follow safety advice.
In parts of east Suffolk and the Dedham Vale, flood water levels have not necessarily hit their peak. This is because flood water entering Suffolk’s rivers is flowing downstream towards the coast faster than expected – meaning water levels could rise before they drop.
Residents and businesses, especially those close to water ways, should continue to follow closely flood warning and alerts from the Environment Agency and take action if advised. Members of the public can sign up for flood warnings on the Government website.
People are no longer being asked to travel only if absolutely necessary, but are being urged to drive with caution.
Key public safely advice includes:
- Don’t drive through flood water. Just one egg cup of water is enough to wreck your engine
- Keep alert for surface water, drive according to the conditions and increase distance from the vehicle in front and be prepared to back off if visibility gets worse
- Be aware of debris left on roads by the flood water
- Return to abandoned vehicles and retrieve them, where safe to do so
- Avoid playing or swimming in flood water, because it can contain hidden dangers such as lifted manhole covers, sharp objects, sewage and chemicals.
- Check your flood risk here: Check for flooding - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The district councils are already working to help residents and business to recover from the impact of the floods. Information is already available on the Babergh and Mid Suffolk websites, and further details will be released in the coming days.
