Community safety

An event of this size would affect more than one region and would lead to some sea and river defences being overwhelmed or failing in a number of places. This could result in the flooding of between 1,000 and 10,000 properties, which would require a multi-agency response and possibly a large-scale evacuation. The impact on the local infrastructure could last for several days.

River flooding

A sustained period of heavy rainfall extending over two weeks, perhaps combined with melting snow, would result in steadily rising river levels over the region. Localised flooding, affecting a similar number of properties to the medium-scale coastal flooding described above, would have a major impact on minor roads, some A roads and trunk roads. Some rail lines and stations would be closed. Most waterways would be closed to traffic.

This is the typical type of flooding within the United Kingdom and is one to which is becoming more likely as more building takes place on flood-plains.

Flash flooding

Heavy localised rainfall in steep valley catchments can lead to flash flooding. It is likely that no flood defences would be in place and the suddenness of the event means that timely flood warnings would be impossible, leading to the likely flooding of up to 200 properties at a time. The Boscastle flooding of 2004 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall) was a flash flood.

Flood plans

Medway Council, in partnership with the Kent Resilience Forum, works closely with the Environment Agency (www.environment-agency.gov.uk), the emergency services and developers to draw up and maintain flood plans and to ensure that appropriate flood defences are in place.

To find out if your home is at risk and for more information about flooding, visit:

• www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood/?lang=_e.
• Medway Strategic Flood Risk Assessment

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