Widespread flooding and heavy rain have impacted much of England – and the Met Office is forecasting more rain and more flooding as river levels continue to rise.

The impacts of the storm are receiving widespread coverage in both print and online media which are reporting many incidents of rivers bursting their banks, train lines out of action in Southern England, road closures, flooded farmland and residents being evacuated from their properties.

The state of England’s flood defences and levels of investment in flood infrastructure are also the subject of widespread comment in the press.

In November 2023 a new report from the National Audit Office - Resilience to Flooding - warned that more than 200,000 properties were at increased flood risk due to Environment Agency assets being below required condition.

The NAO report sets out that EA has reduced its forecast of the number of properties it will be able to better protect by 2027 from 336,000 to 200,000, a reduction of 40 per cent. In addition, the NAO flagged up the fact that the EA is removing 500 of the 2,000 new flood defence projects that were originally included in the programme.

The NAO pointed out that the EA has cut its forecast for the number of additional properties that will be better protected from flooding by 40% since plans were first unveiled in 2020.

Total of 635 flood warnings and flood alerts in place across England

Currrently 307 flood warnings are in place across the country where flooding is expected, with a further 328 flood alerts in place where flooding is possible. A total of 140 flood warnings have been removed in the last 24 hours.

The latest flood forecast issued yesterday by the Met Office for the next 5 days says that flooding from rivers and surface water is possible across parts of the Midlands and South and East of England on Thursday and on Friday.

Local ongoing flooding from rivers is also probable along parts of the River Severn and River Trent for the next five days, with flooding also probable across parts of Yorkshire and along parts of the River Avon today and Friday, and also parts of the River Thames from Saturday until Monday.

The forecaster is warning that land, roads and properties could flood and there could also be travel disruption.

In addition, local groundwater flooding is possible in parts of the South of England, Yorkshire and the Humber throughout the next five days, resulting in flooding on land, roads and properties may flood and travel disruption.

Storm Henk is the 8th in three months, while 2023 has been named the wettest year on record for all but one of the UK regions.

In Horley, Surrey, where the River Mole burst its banks on Tuesday, flooding caused a Thames Water treatment works to spill raw sewage on to a public footpath. Commenting on the incident on Twitter/ X, the Environment Agency said:

“We are aware of the ongoing situation at Horley Sewage Treatment Works which is completely unacceptable.

“We have recorded non-compliances against Thames Water for breaching their permit, and our officers are actively investigating this incident.

“We have also made clear that we require the water company to complete the previously recommended major infrastructure works for this site. “

Major incidents include:

• major incident declared by Nottinghamshire County Council with the water level of the River Trent the highest seen in more than 20 years
• significant rainwater and flooding across the Somerset Levels and Moors
• over 1000 properties in England flooded this week – with the Environment Agency predicting this number is likely to increase
• villages and hamlets cut off by flooded roads
• canal bursting its banks at Hackney Wick in London
• Notting Hill Gate underground station closed due to flooding