Floods: Environment Agency mobilises

OFFICIALS at the Environment Agency put their staff on full mobilisation alert today (Monday, January 21) as floods threatened almost every major river in Yorkshire.

A weekend of heavy rain showed no sign of slowing up in the Yorkshire Dales at 8am today and the River Aire is considered a flood risk all the way downstream from Gargrave to Stockbridge.

The Aire Valley between Skipton and Keighley was already seriously flooded before the latest rainstorms (See A week in the country, January 18) and hundreds of acres are under water in the Ribble Valley west of Settle.

There are flood alerts on many other Yorkshire rivers: the Wharfe, the Nidd, the Ouse, the Derwent and in South Yorkshire. In Cumbria, even large lakes are threatening to burst their banks.

Environment Agency officials have been monitoring the situation over the weekend and have plans in place to "mobilise staff and equipment if necessary," said Mark Tinnion, the Yorkshire flood risk manager.

He added: "I urge people to keep checking the latest situation by visiting the flood warning pages on the Environment Agency website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk or by calling the floodline on 0845 988 1188. Updates will also be available through the local television and radio."