Low sign up to flood warnings in the West Midlands
The Environment Agency is urging residents at risk of flooding from the River Rea and River Tame in the West Midlands to sign up for free flood warnings.
Over 2,700 properties are at risk of being flooded but only about 1% of residents have signed up to receive the warnings. Some of these properties have a level of protection from flood defences, and others may not flood apart from in more extreme weather, but it costs nothing to sign up to receive flood warnings to be prepared.
There are simple things people can do to better protect those close to them, their home and their business from flooding. Signing up to receive a warning could give people valuable time to move their family and pets to safety, as well as moving their possessions out of the way of flood water.
Rob Lunt, Flood Resilience Adviser from the Environment Agency, said:
It’s vital that residents are prepared for the next time a flood occurs and we urge everyone at risk of flooding to make sure they sign up to receive the warnings. Receiving alerts about when water levels are increasing can give people time to prepare and think about measures to put in place.
You can check if you are at risk of flooding online or call Floodline on 0845 988 1188 to register to receive flood warnings.
Contact
Media enquiries: 0800 917 9267.
Note to editors
An automated flood warning gauge records the water level every 15 minutes. This data is transferred via general packet radio service (GPRS) or global system for mobile communication (GSM) signal to a system which has alarm levels set to trigger alerts to residents ahead of flooding taking place.
Warnings are issued by phone, text or email through the Floodline Warnings Direct service to members of the public and businesses in areas at risk of flooding from rivers or the sea.
Areas at risk from flooding
| Area | Number of properties at risk |
| River Rea at Highgate, Deritend and Digbeth | 1,138 |
| River Rea at Calthorpe | 832 |
| River Rea at Edgbaston | 421 |
| River Tame at Ray Hall Water Works | 242 |
| River Tame at Holloway Bank | 102 |