Somerset braces for more floods as heavy rain looms

Somerset Council declared a major incident on Tuesday due to widespread flooding across the county. This action was taken after the region experienced its wettest week since 2014, leading to approximately 50 properties being flooded. Council leaders have warned that more homes are likely to be inundated with further heavy rainfall expected.

More than 50 properties have flooded, and council leader Bill Revans anticipates this figure will rise. "We are also looking into ensuring further properties don't flood although we do expect that number to rise beyond the 50 currently," he stated, expressing significant worry that prompted the major incident declaration. Support is being arranged for impacted residents, including potential evacuations and assistance with insurance claims.

Residents in Taunton have pointed to blocked drains as a key factor in the system's failure to cope with the rainfall. Council staff will be available at Moorland village hall on Wednesday to offer advice. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Somerset from midday on Thursday until midnight, with the Somerset Levels and moors at particularly high risk due to saturated ground conditions.