We need united action on flooding

The consistently wet weather this week has not so much shown a typical British summer as the serious menace of flooding. A house in Kennington ended up surrounded by a moat during heavy rain on Monday and the previous torrents in midAugust caused widespread destruction in New Romney. At that time water also seeped into Tenterden Town Hall.

We seem to had more frequent instances of flooding in the last few years and at any season. Summer downpours have been particularly violent at times but nobody has forgotten the record wet winter of 2013/14, which caused widespread havoc in Kent.

Flooding is almost everybody’s problem, so everybody needs to help solve it.

Householders and businesses need to make sure their properties are as watertight as possible and have sandbags at the ready.

They also need to look out for elderly and vulnerable neighbours.

Local authorities need to make sure their area’s drainage system is in working order and can cope with large and sudden deluges. Weather warnings also need to be consistently put out early.

Drivers should not attempt to recklessly drive through pools of water, ending up trapped and taking up more of the emergency services’ time in avoidable incidents.

Flooding can cause crisis, misery and destruction and we all need to do our best to cope with each situation as it arises.