Danger to life flood warning remains at Yarwell Mill but response scaled back as water levels fall
An emergency response to severe flooding which saw almost 300 people evacuated has been scaled back - but residents have been asked not to return home.
A severe flood warning – meaning there is a risk to life – was issued at Yarwell Mill, just after 11.45am yesterday (Thursday), with remaining residents asked to leave for their own safety.
The site is home to nearly 300 people and over the past few days, all have been advised to evacuate.
Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) helped the site management company evacuate 32 people on Thursday, with the water levels peaking at 9.30pm last night.
With water levels then falling, the NFRS has scaled down its operation, but remain on hand to support North Northamptonshire Council and the site managers if the situation develops today.
A specialist Water Incident Manager from NFRS will return to the site to make a further assessment this morning (Friday) and see whether the severe flood warning can be removed.
North Northamptonshire Council has been in regular contact with the site’s management company since the weekend and has also been working to safeguard the most vulnerable people at the site.
The Council has been supporting residents with a rest centre at Oundle Library and continues to offer support to those evacuated from the site.
The Local Resilience Forum (LRF) continues to treat the flooding as a major incident, but hope to move into the recovery phase over the weekend.
Superintendent Steve Freeman said: “It’s been a real team effort to respond to the widespread flooding across the county and I would like to thank all of the LRF partners involved as well as our residents in Northamptonshire who, in the main, have been very supportive and understanding whilst we have dealt with this situation.
“Although it’s good news to hear that the water levels are falling, people with accommodation at Yarwell Mill and Billing Aquadrome should not return to the sites until advised to do so.
“Although we hope to move into the recovery phase of our response soon, the LRF will not become complacent and we stand ready to step up our response again should the situation change.”
