Major incident declared due to Somerset flood risk

A major incident has been declared in Somerset because of flooding risks, the Environment Agency (EA) says.

"Enhanced pumping" began on Tuesday at Northmoor to clear water off the Somerset Levels.

A flood warning has been issued for Saltmoor and Northmoor and agency officers were offering advice in the village of Moorland.

Ian Withers, from the EA, said it was a "precautionary step" to help ensure "partners are co-ordinated".

He said the risk to communities had reduced and the situation had settled because of dry weather conditions.

"It is a much better picture today - the major incident declaration is about making sure that all our partners- emergency services, local authorities and the military- are ready to respond if the situation worsens," he said.

The EA said it is currently responding to flooding incidents in Somerset, flood risk in the Bristol Avon area and monitoring rising groundwater levels in Dorset.

Additional pumps have been put in place at Saltmoor and Northmoor to reduce water levels along the River Parrett.

Extra pumps are ready for use at Currymoor once conditions allow, added Mr Withers.

Councillor Bill Revans, leader of Somerset County Council, said: "The decision to declare a major incident at this stage means we are well-placed to respond.

"We will be supporting Environment Agency colleagues on the ground and taking every step to ensure our communities receive the help they need."

Local farmers have expressed their frustration at the Environment Agency for being slow to pump water from nearby fields.

The county also suffered major flooding in 2014 when villages were cut-off and homes evacuated, with large parts of the Somerset Levels spending much of the winter under water.

West Yeo farm owner James Winslade, who was badly affected by the 2014 floods, said it has taken just six days for water levels to reach current levels.

He said that in 2014, water levels reached flooding levels over the space of a month.

Mr Winslade, who is the founding member of Flooding on the Levels Action Group (FLAG), said they had been asking the Environment Agency for pumps for several days.

"The mental wellbeing of everybody in the village is severely being pushed," said Mr Winslade, who fears that houses in the area may flood.

Mr Winslade added that global warming and heavier rainfall has brought different risks compared to the 2014 floods but was thankful that a dry spell of weather was now being forecast.

"Animals have had to be evacuated from in and around Moorland yesterday," he said.

"The saving grace is in the forecast we've got a week to 10 days of dry weather. If we hadn't had that dry weather, then we would be replaying 2014."

Another resident, Kate Symonds, said that the declaration of a major incident is not going to make a lot of difference to people in the village.

She said: "They're already seeing water on the fields, behind their houses and it's an instant reminder to how they felt in 2014."

Mr Withers said he met Mr Winslade on Sunday to explain how the EA was handling the situation.

"The success of pumping water out of the moors relies on the rivers having capacity to receive the water, and currently the intense rain means they are full," he said.

"The sight of water on the Somerset Levels and Moors is obviously a concern to those who have suffered from flooding before.

"It is prudent to plan for the worst and going into major incident mode is appropriate, so we coordinate with partners and everyone is ready to respond if needed," added Mr Withers.

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