Flooding

The Environment Agency and Met Office have advised that Hull is listed as a flood registered city. 

We work with the emergency services and other responding organisations to do all we can to prevent flooding from happening in the future, or to reduce the impact if it does.

Current flood warnings are available to view within other links. You can also visit the Environment Agency website or the Flood Alerts Facebook page for the latest flood warnings in your area -
 

Visit the GOV.UK flood information service website for the latest flood warnings

Visit the Humber Emergency Planning Service website

Visit the Flood Alerts Facebook page

Visit the Environment Agency Facebook page
 

If you are at risk of flooding, it is important that you make your own plans.

What to do if there’s a flood on the way

• listen to your local radio and TV weather forecasts for advice from the emergency services
• alert your neighbours, particularly the elderly
• move your car to higher ground
• roll up carpets and rugs and move them out of harm’s way
• empty furniture drawers and cupboards. Place the contents and any furniture you can move upstairs
• any furniture you can’t move could be raised on bricks and pulled away from the wall
• weigh down any furniture which is too heavy to move, to stop it from floating and damaging walls and windows
• fasten plastic bags around the legs of wooden furniture to help minimise absorption of water
• if possible, take the curtains down or wrap them round the curtain pole
• move computer and other electrical equipment upstairs or above the anticipated water level
• turn off gas and electricity at the mains
• put plugs in sinks and weigh them down with something heavy to prevent backflow from the drains. Weigh down the toilet seat too
• disconnect electrical appliances
• check food and water supplies and take upstairs
• bring caged outdoor pets inside, and move all pets with food, water, bedding and litter trays upstairs
• get into the habit of storing valuable or sentimental items and important documents upstairs or in a high place
• if you have any flood protection equipment, such as flood boards or airbrick covers, put them in place
• do as much as you can in daylight

What to do if your house is flooded

• telephone 999 if anyone is at immediate risk
• keep dry and out of floodwater if possible
• stay in your property, if safe to do so, until advised otherwise by the emergency services or the floodwater has receded
• do not walk or drive through flowing floodwater
• avoid contact with floodwater and wash any exposed parts before handling food or attending to wounds
• do not allow children to play in floodwater, as well as the risk of disease manhole covers may have dislodged under the pressure of floodwater creating a drowning risk
• floodwater conducts electricity. Turn off the electricity at the mains with a wooden stick, do not attempt to operate any damaged electrical goods until they have been checked by a certified electrical engineer
• have you turned off the gas supply? If not gas pockets, oil and contaminants can build up in and around floodwater. Turn off the gas supply at the mains and do not attempt to operate any gas appliances until a certified gas engineer has checked them. Be careful with naked flames
• floodwater contains sewage and other contaminants. Do not eat food that has come into contact with the water. Wash your hands with disinfectant if you come into contact with the water directly. ‘Ready to eat’ foods which have or may be contaminated with flood water should be discarded into black bin liners, or equivalent. Sealed tinned foods are likely to be safe to eat if washed down thoroughly with detergent and clean water before opening
• do not drink, clean your teeth or cook with your water supply until the environmental health officer has pronounced it fit for human consumption again. Your full system needs to be flushed through to remove any possible contamination
• do you have a septic tank? If yes, septic tanks will need to be emptied when the water level has dropped enough to allow the normal drainage system to function. Paying to empty the septic tank too soon will only mean it acts as a sump for the local area
• floodwater can be fast moving. If water is still around your home do not walk through fast flowing water in the home or outside – six inches of water can knock you off your feet. Be careful of holes and dips when moving around. Use a stick to gauge depth
• phone your insurance company’s 24 hour Emergency Helpline as soon as possible. They will be able to provide information on dealing with your claim, and assistance in getting things back to normal
• continue to listen to situation updates on your local radio and via Floodline on 0845 988 1188

Preparing for evacuation

In certain very unlikely situations you may be asked to leave your home by the emergency services. If this happens, leave as quickly and calmly as possible. If you have time -

• grab your ‘Go bag’ and check contents
• turn off electricity, gas and water supplies
• take your mobile phone and charger
• take some spare clothes
• unplug appliances
• take with you any prescribed medication
• take cash and credit cards
• lock all doors and windows
• if you leave by car, take bottled water, a duvet or blankets and tune into your local radio for emergency advice and instructions

Sandbag requests

Unfortunately we cannot automatically deliver sandbags on request. 

We have to protect key vulnerable locations first, and then we will aim to place sandbags at strategic points sensitive to flooding, for example on street corners, for collection and placement by the property owner.

Supplies of sandbags will be dependent upon the scale of the flooding, the demands for service, the weather conditions and the prioritisation of response. We will make more announcements on how we are distributing sandbags shortly.

Transport information

For information on the effects of flooding on -

• rail travel, telephone the National Rail enquiries line on 0845 748 4950
• buses, telephone the BUSCALL timetables enquiry service which includes operator partners on 01482 222 222 between 8am to 10pm

Manned travel point enquiry offices are at Hull Paragon Rail and Bus Station in Hull City Centre.