Environment Agency: Why we struggled to predict flood in Fishlake, Doncaster

Bosses at the Envionment Agency have defended ‘late’ warnings residents claim they were given over flooding at the Doncaster village of Fishlake.
By David Kessen
Published 12th Nov 2019, 14:18 BST
Updated 12th Nov 2019, 17:30 BST
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Around 700 people in the village were told to leave their homes over the weekend after seven separate ‘threat to life’ flood warnings were issued for the River Don.

But villagers have claimed the warning was ‘too little, too late’ as many homes had already been deluged by the time they were told to evacuate. Some people

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A spokesperson for the Environment agency said: “Fishlake has been hit by combination of flooding from the Don spilling into the local floodplain, plus the presence of surface water. Given the interaction of a number of sources of water the exact nature and timing of flooding in this area was difficult to predict.

Farmers help emergency services rescue people from their homes. The village of Fishlake, Doncaster, submerged under still rising flood water is cut off. November 09, 2019. A Severe Flood warning is in place for the village as river levels continue to rise. See SWNS story SWLEflood. Seven severe flood warnings are still in place as the Government’s flood warning information site warned life could be at danger over the weather. All seven areas affected are near the River Don which flows through Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield. They are at Barnby Dun, Bentley, Fishlake, Kirk Bramwith, Kirk Sandall, South Bramwith and Willow Bridge Caravan Site. There are also 61 flood warnings.Farmers help emergency services rescue people from their homes. The village of Fishlake, Doncaster, submerged under still rising flood water is cut off. November 09, 2019. A Severe Flood warning is in place for the village as river levels continue to rise. See SWNS story SWLEflood. Seven severe flood warnings are still in place as the Government’s flood warning information site warned life could be at danger over the weather. All seven areas affected are near the River Don which flows through Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield. They are at Barnby Dun, Bentley, Fishlake, Kirk Bramwith, Kirk Sandall, South Bramwith and Willow Bridge Caravan Site. There are also 61 flood warnings.
Farmers help emergency services rescue people from their homes. The village of Fishlake, Doncaster, submerged under still rising flood water is cut off. November 09, 2019. A Severe Flood warning is in place for the village as river levels continue to rise. See SWNS story SWLEflood. Seven severe flood warnings are still in place as the Government’s flood warning information site warned life could be at danger over the weather. All seven areas affected are near the River Don which flows through Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield. They are at Barnby Dun, Bentley, Fishlake, Kirk Bramwith, Kirk Sandall, South Bramwith and Willow Bridge Caravan Site. There are also 61 flood warnings.

“The Environment Agency issued alerts and updates to residents of Fishlake from Thursday afternoon and the early hours of Saturday morning, warning them about the heavy rainfall, high water levels, and the possibility of flooding. The Severe Flood Warning was issued in the early hours of Saturday morning (12.50am).

“All residents of Fishlake who were signed up to the Environment Agency’s free flood warning service were sent these alerts.

For more information about flood warnings, log onto https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/target-area/123WAF972

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