The clean-up begins in Somerset after this weekend's devastating floods
It’s estimated about a month’s rainfall fell in one day
Last updated 19th Sep 2023
Days after torrential rain brought chaos to thousands of homes across Devon and Somerset, the local authority in Somerset say teams are supporting communities across the region - as the clean-up effort begins.
Across Somerset, a large number of houses and businesses were impacted, and on Monday, Butlins in Minehead was forced to close, with the holiday park working hard to get back up and running in time for Friday's weekend events.
The region which saw the biggest impact was West Somerset and Wellington, where Somerset Council say teams have been working with Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service to get a more accurate picture of how many people have been affected.
It’s estimated about a month’s rainfall fell in one day.
On Sunday, both the A39 and A396 were closed, whilst several other roads were badly damaged - and the fire service, for a time, said there was a 'risk to life'.
The key affected areas include Minehead, Carhampton, Dunster, Withycombe, Watchet and Wellington.
River levels are now falling, but with more heavy rain expected Wednesday morning across West Somerset and the rest of the county, homeowners and businesses are being urged to protect their premises.
Council teams will be on the ground over the next few days in the affected areas meeting residents and businesses who'll be offering advice and identifying those who need urgent support.
Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Digital, Councillor Mike Rigby said: “This is really dreadful for those residents and businesses who have been affected. We don’t know the full extent yet but teams are working hard to build up a clearer picture.
“This was an extraordinary amount of rainfall – we saw drain covers in Minehead blown off because of the sheer volume of water trying to get through, and roads have been badly damaged in some communities.
“Our Highways teams are out clearing and assessing the damage to roads, and we’ve got people on the ground meeting those affected by the flooding – we'll get to as many people as we can but if you need urgent support or advice now don’t wait, please get in touch.
“We can’t say that this event was cause by climate change, but the science tells us that events like these are likely to happen more frequently and the Council has an important role to play in helping communities become more resilient as well as helping tackle the causes of climate change.”
Anyone who has experienced property flooding can report it to Somerset Council by logging online or emailing flooding@somerset.gov.uk.
If you or anyone you know needs support immediately you should call 0300 123 2224 and choose option 1 during office hours, same number and option 4 out of hours.