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Country 'ill-prepared' for floods | Country 'ill-prepared' for floods |
(about 4 hours later) | |
An independent review into floods which damaged thousands of homes in England in the summer has concluded the country should have been better prepared. | An independent review into floods which damaged thousands of homes in England in the summer has concluded the country should have been better prepared. |
A preliminary report, to be published later, will call on the government and Environment Agency to take urgent action to prevent a repeat. | A preliminary report, to be published later, will call on the government and Environment Agency to take urgent action to prevent a repeat. |
It is also expected to say the public should have acted more responsibly. | It is also expected to say the public should have acted more responsibly. |
Yorkshire, Hull and Gloucestershire, where 140,000 homes were left without water, were among the areas worst hit. | Yorkshire, Hull and Gloucestershire, where 140,000 homes were left without water, were among the areas worst hit. |
'Warnings ignored' | 'Warnings ignored' |
The report, led by Sir Michael Pitt, chairman of the South West Strategic Health Authority, looked at the lessons to be learnt from the floods and highlights a long list of failings. | The report, led by Sir Michael Pitt, chairman of the South West Strategic Health Authority, looked at the lessons to be learnt from the floods and highlights a long list of failings. |
They include: | They include: |
no national flood emergency plan | no national flood emergency plan |
no clear responsibility for dealing with urban flooding | no clear responsibility for dealing with urban flooding |
no systematic stockpiling of emergency equipment, such as boats. | no systematic stockpiling of emergency equipment, such as boats. |
According to the report, the floods in June and July led to the biggest loss of critical infrastructure since World War II. | |
It will say flooding is only likely to get worse and society needs to adapt. | It will say flooding is only likely to get worse and society needs to adapt. |
The public must be better prepared for such events and act responsibly, it will say, as too few signed up for flood warnings and some ignored warnings they were given. | The public must be better prepared for such events and act responsibly, it will say, as too few signed up for flood warnings and some ignored warnings they were given. |
The final report is due for publication next summer. | The final report is due for publication next summer. |