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| |  | | Britain on Flood Alert
Are you at risk? | | | | Memories of last winter's floods are still fresh in many people's memories. The regular evacuations, the widespread damage to property and the resulting insurance tangles were the result of the most severe flooding in half a century. Now with recent heavy rainfalls that nightmare looms large again. But are we better prepared than last year?
Inland Defences
Tom Feilden went to Shrewsbury, scene of some of the worst flooding last year to find out whether the government has lived up to its commitment to improve flood defences. The Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott and the flood and coastal defence minister Elliot Morely have both promised swift action and more money.
But a report commissioned by the government from the Institution of Civil Engineers is critical of the government's current approach. It calls for a single agency with overall responsibility for flood management and a step change in the level of investment in flood defences. It also calls for the human cost of flooding to be taken into account when the costs and benefits of building flood defences are being assessed.
Jennifer Connor knows that human cost only too well - her cottage on the Severn was under 4 feet of water. She tells Tom Feilden her house looked like a "horror film". But there are no plans to defend her stretch of the river because it's not "cost effective". And improvements elsewhere on the Severn will take years to implement - for residents in Shrewsbury, Bewdley and Upton - that means many more winters like last year.
Are you at risk?
With the Met. Office predicting more wet weather to come, authorities are urging people living in flood prone regions to prepare themselves for the worst.
To find out if you live in such an area (and you live in England or Wales), click here to be taken to the Environment Agency's Floodline website, where you see a map of your region and gauge whether or not precautions are needed. You'll also find advice on just what measures you can take to minimise the risk to life and property.
Alternatively if you live in Scotland click here to be taken to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (or SEPA) Floodline website to read the latest information and advice for your region.
Whether you live in England, Wales or Scotland you can get the latest flooding details by calling Floodline directly on 0845 988 1188.
Northern Ireland listeners can click here for a list of the specialist emergency services telephone numbers in your region.
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