As Deputy Minister for the Environment, Allan Wilson, joins SEPA Chairman, Ken Collins, at an event, today (1/10/02), to mark Scottish Flood Awareness Week (28/9-5/10), the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is urging homeowners living in Scotland’s flood risk areas to act now to prepare for flooding by calling Floodline 0845 988 1188 or logging onto www.sepa.org.uk/flooding¹.

Floodline is a key tool in flooding awareness. The service provides Scotland-wide flood alert information and general advice on how to prepare for, and cope with, flooding. Since its launch last November, Floodline has been used by over 60 000 customers, issued over 450 flood watches, 250 flood warnings and 11 severe flood warnings. SEPA’s website, www.sepa.org.uk/flooding also carries live flood warnings 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.²

Traditionally, October is regarded as the start of the season when river flooding can occur although, as this summer has demonstrated, you do not necessarily need to live near a river to be at risk from flooding. Climate change models suggest that rather than being an anomaly, this appears to be a trend set to continue into the future.

Commenting at the event on The Tall Ship, Glenlee, in Glasgow, SEPA’s Chairman Ken Collins stated,

“Already around 77 000 properties in Scotland are at risk of flooding from rivers. This number can only increase if climate change predictions are correct and Scotland’s suffers up to a 40% increase in winter rainfall. Similarly, in coastal areas, flooding resulting from high tides and storms may happen 10 times more often as sea levels look set to rise by 16 inches. This would put an additional 93 000 properties at risk³.”

“With such prospects, getting prepared for flooding has never been more important. I would urge people to make use of SEPA’s Floodline service to find out if they are at risk and what they can do. The cost of doing nothing could be huge - emotionally and financially.”

Allan Wilson, Deputy Minister for the Environment added,

“In the recent Comprehensive Spending Review, the Scottish Executive pledged more money than ever before for robust flood defences but that must also work in tandem with increased awareness.”

“Flooding is taken very seriously by the Scottish Executive through a number of initiatives. The wide-ranging 'Do a Little, Change a Lot' environmental awareness campaign looks at perceptions and attitudes to the environment and how our lifestyles can affect climate change, a contributing factor in flooding.”

“You can't prevent flooding, but you can prepare for it and SEPA's Flood Awareness Week provides the opportunities for the public to heed advice and be prepared should flooding occur.”


ENDS

Picture Editor's Note:

Photos from the event will be available from Alan Donaldson Tel. 07802 167612


Notes:

¹ In November 2001, The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), with financial assistance from the Scottish Executive, established Floodline - 0845 988 1188. Floodline gives information about potential flooding and advice on how to reduce the impact of floods when they do happen.

² SEPA has hydrologists on flood warning duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Monitoring of weather forecasts, catchment conditions and river levels allow SEPA’s hydrologists to deliver flood warning to SEPA’s 42 Flood Warning Schemes. Through Floodline, SEPA also provides a Flood Watch service across Scotland, keeping the public, emergency services and local authorities informed of potential flooding.

Flood Watch means Flooding is possible, and the situation could worsen, so:

• Watch water levels
  
• Stay tuned to local radio or TV
  
• Make sure you have what you need to put your flood plan into action
  
• Reconsider travel plans
  
• Notify relevant departments/check resources
  
• Farmers - check livestock
  
  

Areas within specific flood warning schemes

In certain parts of the country where serious flooding has been experienced in the past, a number of local flood warning schemes are operated by SEPA in partnership with local authorities and the police. There are 42 such schemes and more detailed flood prediction alerts are available for these areas. People within existing flood warning schemes will receive direct warnings of flooding from the Police. Since the introduction of Floodline, a set of standard codes has been in use throughout the UK.

These, easily recognisable codes - FLOOD WATCH, FLOOD WARNING, SEVERE FLOOD WARNING and ALL CLEAR - deliver clear information and practical advice so you know what action you should take on hearing them.

FLOOD WATCH is available for all of Scotland. FLOOD WARNING and SEVERE FLOOD WARNINGS are issued to those covered by the 42 existing flood warning schemes. Remember - they apply only to existing flood warning scheme areas! (Call Floodline 0845 988 1188 with your Postcode to find out the Floodline quickdial code for your area. www.sepa.org.uk/flooding)

³Scottish Executive report ‘Climate Change: Flooding Occurrences Review’ is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/kd01/lightgreen/ccfo-00.asp