Multi-agency support continues with response teams on the ground supporting communities, monitoring the situation closely and ready to act if necessary.
A major incident remains in place following moderate rainfall overnight.
Operations are still being co-ordinated involving Somerset Council, emergency services, health colleagues, the Environment Agency (EA), local voluntary organisations and other key partners.
Teams remain active in the area engaging with the community both in terms of door-knocking and community information points.
Teams were at Burrowbridge and Moorland today, including representatives from the EA, Somerset Council and Avon and Somerset Police officers.
A Community Information Point is being held in Langport tomorrow, Wednesday 11 February, run by Thrive (EA, Avon and Somerset Police and Somerset Council officers will be present):
Langport – Talking Café at Angel Café: Bow Street, Langport, TA10 9PQ 11.30am until 1.30pm.
Please view previous updates here.
Emergency Response and Recovery Team
Teams remain on standby – ongoing weather conditions and water levels are being closely monitored.
- We are continuing to visit homes in areas which may be at risk of flooding. Officers from Avon and Somerset Police and Somerset Council are on the ground.
- Visits have been taking place at Burrowbridge and Moorland today.
- If there is a need to evacuate, residents will be contacted by the police, Somerset Council staff or by receiving a flood warning from the Environment Agency.
- We have plans in place to stand up rest centres should they be needed.
In line with the principles of the Avon and Somerset Local Resilience Forum plan, the first Recovery Working Group has met to look at planning the recovery operation.
We are encouraging anybody affected by flooding to please report it here: Flood report – Self Service.
In an emergency residents should always call 999 immediately.
Highways and Transport
Damage to roads
County-wide the recent weather has caused a high number of defects on roads across Somerset, and our teams are working hard to assess and fix these in order of priority.
Over the last two weeks the service has received 5,000 enquiries.
If you spot a problem, please ensure that these are reported here as soon as you can: Report a problem on the road. This is the quickest route for incidents to get picked up.
We would continue to ask people to be patient during this time, urgent repairs to defects may cause some travel disruption, we are grateful for people’s understanding.
Current road closures due to flooding and adverse weather:
On the Levels, all four roads with emergency road closure gates remain closed:
- The A361 between East Lyng and Burrowbridge, along with Cutts Road, the Langport to Muchelney Road and New Road, West Lyng. Also:
- Aller Drove, Long Bridge Road, Wetmoor Lane and Thorney Road near Langport; Godney Road from B3151 to Godney Drove crossroads; Ruggs Drove, Chedzoy.
- Bridgehampton Road near Yeovil; Durleigh Hill, Durleigh; Bineham Lane, Yeovilton.
- NB – A30 Hendford Hill, Yeovil is currently closed due to fallen trees/bank slippage.
Please check here Roadworks and travel information and follow @travelsomerset on X and FB for travel updates.
Environment Agency Update
Situation:
Over the past 24 hours, Somerset has experienced moderate rainfall with totals ranging from 5 to 12 mm, which was less than predicted.
Weather fronts are forecast to bring further rain through the week, the outlook remains unsettled.
Water levels across Currymoor, Northmoor, Saltmoor, and the moors upstream of Langport (including Huish Episcopi, Midelney and Westover) remain very high. Because the ground is fully saturated, local rivers are sensitive to further rainfall.
The tidal cycle is moving into a neap tide period, when the difference between high and low tides becomes smaller. The impact of tidal conditions on river levels and pumping operations is reducing, which helps us drain the system.
We are monitoring the situation closely and will respond rapidly to changes.
5 flood warnings and 11 flood alerts are in place across Somerset, no new flood warnings or alerts have been triggered. We encourage people to check for updates regularly.
There is further useful information on how the Levels and Moors operate in this document How the Somerset Levels and Moors Work How the Somerset Moors work
What we’re doing:
- We will be running community drop in, together with our partners:
– Wednesday 11 February 11.30-1.30pm supporting the Thrive Talking Café at The Angel Café, Langport TA20 9PQ
- Additional pumps are operational at: Northmoor, Saltmoor, Elson’s Clyce, Westonzoyland and Bridgwater Canal and Docks. Our teams are working 24/7 to ensure pumps are running at full capacity after experiencing some reliability issues.
- Additional pumps are installed at Haymoor and will be installed at Currymoor when river levels allow. We cannot use these until river levels drop further.
- When the River Parrett is low enough, we actively operate the River Parrett Flood Relief Channel (Sowy) in agreement with the IDB, to ensure we maximise the amount of water channelled through the system.
- Additional ultra-high-volume pumps are being deployed at Dunball Sluice, we anticipate them becoming operational this week. This will allow us to optimise use of the Sowy.
- We have carried out emergency work to improve conveyance at Northmoor Pumping Station and further work is ongoing.
- In the Brue catchment, pumping is operational at Gold Corner and North Drain as river levels allow and we continue to operate the Brue Diversion Channel (Cripps River) as required. Additional pumps are being mobilised at North Drain to improve our pumping capacity, should it be required.
- We are sorry about the inconvenience caused by the road closure whilst we bring in additional pumps at Northmoor & Saltmoor Pumping Stations. We hope to get the road reopened as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.
Advice for our communities:
To ensure your safety, please do not walk or drive through flood water. Flood water may be deeper than it looks and contain sewage and hidden hazards.
We encourage you to report any property flooding as soon as you can. Reporting helps organisations coordinate support and prioritise response. You can do this by calling the Environment Agency Incident Hotline 0800 80 70 60. Since a major incident was declared, multi-agency response to the flooding has been stepped up.
Sign up for flood warnings at Get flood warnings by text, phone or email
Find more information and local gauge levels online at Find river, sea, groundwater and rainfall levels
For welfare needs, including animal welfare, please contact Somerset Council on 0300 123 2224.
NHS Somerset update
The NHS in Somerset is here for you if you need any help with your health during this difficult time.
- If you need advice on health conditions, or to check symptoms, visit 111 online or phone 111.
- If you need clinical advice about a developing health condition, phone 111. They can provide advice and where needed, arrange for a clinician to phone you back to discuss your symptoms.
- We have 90 community pharmacies in Somerset with highly experienced community pharmacists who can give you clinical advice on over 40 common conditions and prescriptions for seven common conditions, including eye infections and UTI’s as of our Pharmacy First
- Our mental health service offers a 24/7 helpline (also available seven days a week online during the day). Phone Mindline Somerset on 0800 138 1692 (freephone) or 01823 276892 (local rate).
- We have urgent treatment centres that can help you with urgent care, including everything from sprains and broken bones, to head injuries, bites, eye infections and chest and throat infections. They are in Frome, Glastonbury, Shepton Mallet, Chard, Bridgwater, Minehead (Minor Injury Unit), Yeovil.
For more information about how we can help look after you this winter visit winter web pages. This includes help with everything from where you can find a warm hub, pain cafes and help with free food, to support if you are experiencing domestic violence or help if you are struggling financially.
Remember if you have an emergency, please continue to call 999 or visit your Accident and Emergency department at your nearest hospital.
Preparing for flooding
- Sign up for flood warnings at uk/get–flood–warnings
- Call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 for updates, to sign up for warnings, or to report flooding.
- Visit uk/prepare–for–flooding for advice on what to do During a flood
- Call 999 if there is a risk to life
Reporting flooding
- Environment Agency (main rivers or sea): 0800 80 70 60
- Somerset Council (ordinary watercourses): 0300 123 2224
- Wessex Water (sewers): 0345 600 4600
- Check for flooding updates at check–for–service.gov.uk
- Visit uk/help–during–flood or somersetprepared.org.uk for guidance
Advice for residents
Our Communications Team is sharing information about where to find useful information for what to do to prepare for flooding.
Anyone worried about flooding or impacted by flooding can find advice and guidance at Flooding information and advice .
If there is serious risk to life due to flooding always call 999.
Anyone needing to leave their home due to flooding is reminded to take any medication they may need with them.
Please do not walk or drive through flood water.
Flood water may be deeper than it looks and contain sewage and hidden hazards.
More information about safety during floods on the road can be found here: Adverse weather conditions.
For urgent housing needs please contact Somerset Council housing team on 0800 123 2224. Further information can be found on our website www.somerset.gov.uk/housing–support/homelessnessguidance/.
For welfare needs, including animal welfare contact Somerset Council on 0300 123 2224.
Environment Agency Incident Hotline 0800 80 70 60.
Stay up to date
For the latest travel updates visit our Travel Somerset Facebook page or our Roadworks and travel information page.
Find out the current status of roads that have Emergency road closure gates.