Flooding advice: Before, during and after

Use GOV.UK's guidance on getting help during a flood. This includes contact numbers for Floodline and the National Grid. If there is a risk to life, a serious risk to property or the environment call 999. 

During a flood you should:

• keep up to date about the weather and risks to your home using radio, TV, web or social media
• keep outside drains clear to let surface water escape
• turn off gas, electricity and water supplies before flood water enters your home (if it's safe to do so)
• put plugs in sinks and baths and weigh them down to stop water overflowing into your home
• wash your hands after handling sandbags as they may be contaminated by the flood water
• look after your neighbours - even in the summer, people can suffer from hypothermia after their homes have become flooded with cold rainwater
• be careful if you have a private water supply - flooding can affect its quality and damage equipment, boil it before drinking or using it for food preparation
• if your home has been flooded, move your family and pets upstairs, or to a high place with a means of escape, take your emergency grab bag with you
• if you're using a petrol or diesel water pump, put the generator outside, keep your doors and windows closed, use a carbon monoxide detector in your home - generators produce carbon monoxide fumes which can kill

During a flood you should not:

• touch sources of electricity when standing in flood water
• enter your home at all if there is raw sewage in it - stay somewhere else until it has been cleaned
• smoke, eat or drink whilst in contact with flood water (always wash your hands in clean water before doing so)
• let your children play in flood water, it can become contaminated with sewage and chemicals
• use towpaths
• walk through flooded areas - even shallow water moving fast can sweep you off your feet, there may be hidden dangers such as open drains, damaged road surfaces, submerged debris or deep channels - these can cause serious injuries or even death
• travel in heavy rain storms unless absolutely necessary
• drive through flooded roads or areas:
  • 80 per cent of flood deaths happen in vehicles as the water is deeper than it looks and moving fast
  • your vehicle may be swept away or you may become stranded, four inches of water is enough to stop a car
  • driving through flood water can spread sewage onto your car and into streets