The UK has taken a significant step forward in improving its ability to forecast surface water flooding, says the government, as a three-year programme to enhance national capability reaches completion.
Surface water flooding – which is caused by intense rainfall overwhelming drainage systems – is now recognised as one of the most significant and fast-growing environmental risks in England.
The latest National Flood Risk Assessment (NaFRA) shows that around 4.6M properties are at risk, representing a 43% increase on previous estimates.
The number is now three times greater than those at risk from rivers or the sea, it says.
The increasing frequency of short-duration, high-intensity rainfall events, driven by climate change, is a key factor behind this growing threat.
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