Amid increased extreme weather events brought on by the climate emergency, the Environment Agency has launched an awareness campaign - Flood Action Week - to encourage those who live in areas at risk of flooding to act now to protect their home, possessions and family.

Communities are being urged to prepare for flooding this winter with the Environment Agency warning of “ignoring the danger at your own peril”.

This year alone, the UK experienced its highest ever recorded temperatures, as the Met Office confirmed that England had its joint hottest summer on record with much of the country still struggling with drought.

Looking ahead to this winter, although the Met Office says the chance of wet and windy weather increases as we go through the season, unexpected flooding could occur at any time and communities are being warned not to be complacent following this summer’s dry weather.

Since 1998 the UK has seen six of the ten wettest years on record and this year for the first time ever saw three named storms in one week.

One of the key messages coming from COP27, which is now underway in Egypt, is the need to plan and prepare for increasingly extreme events.

From across the globe, the effects of climate change are becoming clearer, with wildfires raging across Europe; China experiencing its worst heatwave in decades; and devastating floods in Pakistan ripping through communities killing more than 1500 people and displacing millions.

Will Lang from the Met Office said at least one in six people in England are at risk from flooding from rivers and the sea, with many more at risk from surface water flooding.

However nearly two in three households at risk of flooding don’t believe it will happen to them, according to analysis produced by the Environment Agency earlier this year.

Despite the research showing that almost two thirds of people (60%) have taken at least one action to prepare for flooding, as many as 1.5 million households, who are at risk, are yet to prepare.

This Flood Action Week (7 November – 13 November) the Environment Agency is urging people to take three simple steps:

• check your flood risk online
• sign up for flood warnings
• know what to do if flooding hits

Caroline Douglass, Executive Director of Flooding at the Environment Agency, said:

“Climate change is happening now. We’re seeing more extreme weather - in this year alone with three named storms in a week, record-breaking temperatures and drought declared across large parts of the country.

“That is why it is vital that people take the necessary preparations as early as possible to prepare for the worst. Our recent investment programme has better protected 314,000 homes from flooding and we’re investing millions into keeping communities safe, but we can’t stop all flooding.

“The message is clear - households risk ignoring the danger of flooding at their own peril. Anyone can go online to check if they are at risk, sign up for Environment Agency warnings, and, most importantly, know what you need to do if flooding hits.”

Floods Minister Rebecca Pow said:

“This year’s Flood Action Week comes as the Environment Agency has now expanded its flood warning service to reach almost 50,000 new properties at risk of flooding and hopes to exceed its target to provide new warning capability for 62,000 properties at risk of flooding by this winter. It brings the number of properties registered with the service to 1.6 million.

“With over 250 mobile pumps and 5,000 trained staff across the country, the Environment Agency is ready to take action wherever it is needed this winter. The construction and repair of flood defences has also continued throughout the year as part of the record £5.2 billion government investment in flood and coastal defences.”

Climate change and growing flood risk – the upcoming Floodex 2022 event which takes place in London on 23rd and 24th November will highlight the need for multi-sector partnerships and collaboration to tackle growing flood risk in the face of the accelerating impacts of climate change. Click here  to register for free entry