Rutland County Council Details Response to Storm Claudia Flooding and Disruption
Rutland County Council has released details of its extensive response to Storm Claudia, which battered large parts of the UK on Friday, November 14th, bringing widespread flooding and significant disruption across the region.
The Met Office had issued an Amber Weather Warning for Storm Claudia, predicting a substantial volume of rainfall across the East Midlands between 40mm and 60mm, with isolated spots potentially reaching 80mm. The intense rainfall was exacerbated by strong winds that swept through the county late on Friday afternoon and into the evening.
Rutland County Council's Highways and Resilience officers, supported by crews from the main highways contractor, Thomas Bow, were mobilised to address multiple incidents:
Fallen Trees: Strong winds brought down several trees, necessitating road closures near Ashwell and Cottesmore.
Road Closures: Surface water flooding led to closures on Stamford Road (A6121) through Tinwell and Main Street in Seaton. Single-lane closures were also put in place on Station Road and Catmos Street in Oakham.
The Environment Agency issued Flood Alerts meaning flooding is possible for the River Wreake catchment area (including Langham and Whissendine Brooks) and the Welland River near Tinwell.
Council teams responded proactively to monitor the situation, they addressed reports of water out of bank along Whissendine Brook. River levels were closely monitored in Langham.
Levels began to recede by Saturday morning, and the Council confirmed that all roads in Rutland were reopened by midday on Saturday.
Councillor Christine Wise, Cabinet Member for Transport, Environment and Communities, praised the swift and effective response:
"This was the strongest storm that we’ve experienced in recent months and led to a number of flooding reports and incidents around the county. I’m extremely grateful to all those who helped to manage the local impact of Storm Claudia. There was no major disruption caused to services and no reports of property flooding."
Councillor Wise noted the effectiveness of their preparations, stating they "closely monitored areas of the county that have been badly affected during previous storms" which enabled them to keep "the vast majority of our road network open and moving freely."
Looking ahead, Councillor Wise urged residents to prepare for further severe weather as winter progresses:
"It’s reasonable to expect more storms and severe wet weather as we head further into winter. I’d encourage everyone to check the flood risk where they live and take precautionary measures to protect your home or business."
She also specifically addressed riparian owners those responsible for watercourses near their property to check that they are well-maintained and clear of debris once water levels have returned to normal and it is safe to do so.
Need to Know: Stay Alert
The Council encourages all residents to visit their 'Flooding' pages for comprehensive information on actions to take before, during, and after a flood event. This includes guidance on how to sign up for automatic weather alerts and official flood warnings.
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment
🎉 Comments Are Now Live! 🎉
Hello, Oakham and Rutland readers!
We have some exciting news to share with you: you can now comment directly on every single article on Oakham and Rutland News!
We're absolutely thrilled to be giving our amazing communities a real, active voice.
We know many towns often feel forgotten by big-name and regional media, but our mission at Oakham and Rutland News is to put local people back at the very heart of the conversation.
Now, it's easier than ever to tell us what matters most to you in your town or village, share your thoughts on local news, and connect with your neighbours. Leaving a comment is simple—just scroll down to the bottom of any article!
To keep things friendly and ensure real people are talking (not those pesky bots or fake accounts!), we kindly ask that you register with Google first.
Finally, we'll be keeping a close eye on the discussions to make sure they stay respectful and free from any bad language or abuse. This is all part of our commitment to high-quality, original local journalism that everyone can enjoy.
We truly can't wait to hear what you have to say. Your voice matters to us. Let's take Oakham and Rutland News to the next level, together!