Floods reported in Yapton and Barnham

Floods were reported on major roads in Yapton this morning, predominantly near the Burndell Road roundabout.
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The floods, which took place along North End Road, Burndell Road and Yapton Road, occurred after severe rainfall last night and early this morning.

Floods were also reported in Barnham Road, at the end of Elm Grove.

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A West Sussex County Council spokesperson said: “One of our Highway inspectors picked up the flooding problem in Main Road, Yapton, on a routine, planned inspection and put up flood warning boards to alert road users. There will be further investigation.

photo by Helen Carterphoto by Helen Carter
photo by Helen Carter

“Unfortunately, even clear, fully functioning highway drainage systems can be overwhelmed at times in persistent, torrential rainfall and the flood water will take time to dissipate.

“Today (Monday), we have seen 42mm of rainfall recorded at Drayton, near Chichester, in just eight hours: the long-term average for the whole of August is 56.3mm. Already in August, again at Drayton, we have recorded 59.6mm.”

Marvin Smith, the national resilience flood rescue advisor for West Sussex Fire and Rescue added: ““In West Sussex there are over 100,000 properties at risk of flooding, so it’s really important that residents are aware of what to do in a flooding emergency.

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“Unfortunately we have seen flash flooding across the county this morning, caused by intense rain over a short period of time. To prevent this from happening in the future, please ensure that privately-owned drains and ditches are kept clear. However, this must not be attempted when flooding has occurred.

“If you have been affected by the flooding, I would encourage you to protect your most valuable items by moving them to higher ground. Items that have been contaminated will need disinfecting.

“Furthermore, I’d urge people not to drive unless it’s absolutely necessary. Around two feet of water is all it takes to float most cars, so you must turn around if you can’t tell how deep it is.”

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