Mayor warns Londoners living in basement properties about flood risk as the capital marks London Climate Action Week
As part of London Climate Action Week (21-27 June), the Mayor has written to Londoners in 56,000 basement properties to urgently raise awareness of the increased risk of floods due to climate change and to help people prepare in the event of a flood. Over recent years, London has seen the impact of the climate emergency first-hand with soaring temperatures and flash floods. In July 2021, severe flooding left many Londoners temporarily homeless as thousands of properties were filled with storm water and sewage, after parts of London received over a month’s rainfall in just two hours. If the necessary action is not taken and extreme weather continues to become more common, City Hall analysis has shown that flood risk will affect nearly half of London’s hospitals, a quarter of rail stations and one in five schools [1]. The latest Environment Agency data shows more than half a million London homes and businesses at high or medium risk – the biggest flood risk facing the capital [2]. Flash flooding can happen when very heavy rain falls on hard surfaces, overwhelming drainage and sewers. This sort of flooding is difficult to predict. It often happens quickly with fast flowing water that could pose a risk to life. It is also more likely to happen during intense summer storms. The likelihood of flooding remains low for most basement properties, but where it does occur, damage and risk to life can be serious. A leaflet will be distributed to these properties across London offering practical advice and guidance to residents about how to prepare for and deal with a flood [3]. Londoners will be advised to sign up to receive weather warnings through the Met Office alert email, check drains in and around the home are clear and ensure they are aware how to turn off water, gas and electricity supplies. In addition, they are advised to prepare a ‘flood kit’ of important items in case they have to evacuate their homes, containing warm clothing, a phone charger, any vital medication and important documents, such as proof of insurance. The leaflet also shares the steps to follow if a flood occurs. Having set out a bold ambition to clean and protect London’s waterways in his election manifesto last year, the Mayor has now convened a landmark coalition to drive progress on this work, with a £1.8bn investment announced in March to deliver key projects, including flood risk reduction. Last month he also published a new Surface Water Strategy [4] through Flood Ready London – a partnership with the Environment Agency, London Councils, London Boroughs, TfL, London Fire Brigade and Thames Water, supported by Thames Regional Flood and the Coastal Committee. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The climate emergency is no longer a distant problem, but one that is increasingly reaching our doorsteps, which we saw up-close with the disastrous floods in summer 2021. As Mayor, I’m determined to build a better London for everyone – ensuring we are taking action to make our city resilient to the impacts of climate change, but also reducing our carbon emissions to ultimately tackle the crisis. While the likelihood of flooding remains low for most basement properties, I’m doing all I can to ensure that the people most at risk know what to do in the event of a flash flood, which could help to save lives.” Cllr Kieron Williams, London Councils' Executive Member for Transport and Environment, said: "The 2021 floods in London were devastating, and it’s vital that residents across the city are aware of flood risks to help prevent such widespread disruption and loss in the future. Boroughs are committed to working together to tackle flooding, protect our communities, and ensure a safer future for all Londoners.” London Fire Brigade’s Assistant Commissioner, Pat Goulbourne, said: "Climate change is evolving the challenges fire and rescue services face, and it is important to have the plans in place to ensure that London is more resilient to the extreme weather we are experiencing on an increasingly regular basis. Heavy rain and urban flooding can cause significant damage to property and infrastructure, being prepared will help minimise this threat and is vital to the wellbeing of this city and all Londoners." Charlie Wood, Area Director at Environment Agency, said: “Surface water flooding can happen anywhere, to anyone and climate change increases the frequency of these events. The Environment Agency wants people to know how to prepare for flooding, and is playing an active role in supporting and enabling local authorities and other partners to plan and adapt to current and future surface water flood risk.” London Climate Action Week is a groundbreaking annual festival that brings together individuals, organisations and communities as they host a diverse range of events and collaborations with a focus on finding global solutions to climate change. As part of London Climate Action Week, the Mayor has delivered new investment to support his mission to make London a better, greener city for everyone. This includes committing £12million to a new Green Roots Fund, which will enable councils and communities to create and improve natural spaces; opening the fifth round of his £500million Green Finance Fund to help projects across London deliver energy efficiency, renewables, heat networks or clean transport; and a further £2.4million for his pioneering Breathe London air quality monitoring programme, which will see 132 air quality sensors across the capital, enabling Londoners to access real-time data for their local area and take action on air pollution. To drive more green investment, Sadiq also launched a new Climate Finance Taskforce, which will bring together investors and stakeholders to develop strategies and solutions to unlock billions of pounds of private sector investment to help London reach net zero by 2030. The Mayor also announced that he is delivering a landmark new solar farm in partnership with TfL, which will cut CO2 emissions and create new green jobs in the capital. A new City Hall toolkit to help Londoners build resilience locally is available at communitiesprepared.org.uk/london-community-resilience-toolkit. Communities can check flood risks in their local area on the Environment Agency website and apply the toolkit to build resilience against flash flooding. |