London’s Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has written to more than 56,000 basement property households across the capital, warning of increasing flood risk due to climate change.
The alert highlights the growing dangers posed by flash flooding, particularly in low-lying and underground homes. A leaflet offering practical flood preparedness advice is being distributed to affected households, encouraging residents to clear drains, sign up to Met Office alerts and prepare evacuation kits including essentials such as medication and proof of insurance.
Although the likelihood of flooding remains low for most basement dwellers, the Mayor stressed that “damage and risk to life can be serious” where incidents occur.
Flash floods, typically caused by intense rainfall overwhelming drainage systems, are becoming more frequent and difficult to predict.
EXTREME WEATHER
London has already seen the impact of extreme weather, notably during the summer of 2021 when a month’s worth of rain fell in just two hours, leaving thousands of properties submerged and residents temporarily homeless.
City Hall analysis shows that without further action, flooding could threaten nearly half of the capital’s hospitals, a quarter of rail stations and one in five schools. Environment Agency figures indicate over 500,000 homes and businesses in London are already at high or medium flood risk.
The move follows the publication of a new Surface Water Strategy under the Mayor’s Flood Ready London initiative – a multi-agency partnership including the Environment Agency, Transport for London, London Fire Brigade and Thames Water. In March, a £1.8bn investment was announced for major flood resilience and infrastructure projects.
TAKING ACTION
Sir Sadiq Khan says: “The climate emergency is no longer a distant problem, but one that is increasingly reaching our doorsteps, which we saw up-close with the disastrous floods in summer 2021.
“As Mayor, I’m determined to build a better London for everyone – ensuring we are taking action to make our city resilient to the impacts of climate change, but also reducing our carbon emissions to ultimately tackle the crisis.
“While the likelihood of flooding remains low for most basement properties, I’m doing all I can to ensure that the people most at risk know what to do in the event of a flash flood, which could help to save lives.”
London Councils and London Fire Brigade have backed the initiative, calling it a vital step in building city-wide climate resilience.
