AM Welcomes Centre

CARL SARGEANT AM WELCOMES NEW FLOOD FORECASTING CENTRE
Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, is welcoming the opening of a new joint Environment Agency and Met Office Flood Forecasting Centre for England and Wales. The Centre has been set up with the support of the Welsh Assembly Government.The Flood Forecasting Centre has been created to provide an improved river and coastal flooding forecast service as well as advising when extreme rainfall may result in flooding from surface water. It will help provide earlier warnings of floods to local authorities and the emergency services, to give them more time to prepare for floods and reduce the risk of loss of life and damage to property. The new service will complement existing public flood warning arrangements from the Environment Agency and public weather warnings from the Met Office.Mr Sargeant, who recently hosted an event on flooding at the Assembly by Wales’ three Fire and Rescue Services, said: “The effects of climate change mean that we must adapt to the fact that we are going to face an increased risk of flooding. The new Centre will offer the latest technology and expertise in flood forecasting, which will play a key role in helping authorities and the public prepare by improving our ability to forecast when and where flooding will occur.”