Express & Star

Express & Star comment: Great strides made in flood protection

Across the region, water levels are high.

Published
People had come out to see the Bewdley flood barriers in place along the River Severn last night. Picture: @DaveThroupEA

Streams and rivers are flowing quickly and many have burst their banks.

A number of roads have been impassable and agricultural land is sodden.

People often say the British are obsessed with the weather and after the downpours of the weekend, it's hardly surprising.

As the river levels continued to rise yesterday following the deluge over the weekend, people were faced with flooding and all of the difficulties that brings.

Flood defences have certainly improved the situation along the Severn and while things are far from perfect, we should remember the progress that has been made in this area at least.

It is not so long ago that the pages of this newspaper would have been filled with stories of horror as people would have been forced from their homes or businesses; their lives in tatters.

Our authorities have invested sensibly and made great strides.

Things are much, much better than they were less than a decade ago and there are fewer floods.

In the meantime, we can only hope that those affected – both in this region and further afield – are able to get back to normality as soon as possible.