In the event of severe weather, detailed below is some information of local authorities and organisations which might assist you.
Who to contact about flooding in your area
Flooding from surface water (rainfall)- Essex Flood and Water Management Team
If your property has been damaged by surface water flooding Essex Flood and Water Management Team will be able to investigate the cause of the flooding where possible and recommend solutions.
As the Lead Local Flood Authority, Essex County Council has a role in overseeing the management of local flood risks, including:
• Groundwater flooding
• Surface water (rainfall) runoff
• Ordinary watercourse (streams and ditches)
Essex County Council Flood Protection
Flooding from highways drains or gullies
Essex County Council Highways
Flooding from water pipes
Anglian Water
Internal flooding
External flooding
Thames Water
What Is Internal flooding?
Where wastewater has entered your property through doorways, airbricks, cable ducts or other means.
What Is External flooding?
Where wastewater has flooded your garden but not entered your property.
The Environment Agency is responsible for dealing with coastal flooding and flooding from main rivers.
Incident hotline Tel: 0800 807060
Recorded flood warning information for your area and advice
How can I make an insurance claim for the damage to my property?
Please talk to your insurance company about any loss or damage you have experienced.
Alternatively you may wish to speak to Essex County Council who are the Lead Local Flood Authority with responsibility for surface water.
UK Power Networks work closely with the Met Office receiving regular updates.
In the event of any power cut with damaged lines, the public are urged to stay well clear from power lines and anyone spotting a damaged power line needs to report it to UK Power Networks.
Reporting a Power Cut
If you experience a power cut, simply call 105 for free. 105 is the new nationwide number that will put you through to your local electricity network operator - the company that manages the cables, wires and substations that bring electricity into local homes and businesses.
Occasionally National Grid Gas are called to deal with a major incident involving a problem with one of their assets. The define a major incident as something that affects a significant number of households. When there is a live incident they will publish information around that specification incident in their in your area section of their web page and on Facebook and Twitter.
Contacting National Grid Gas
To report a gas incident please call the National Grid Gas Emergency Service number 0800 111 999 available 24hours a day.
In the event of a fire call 999.
Most fires are preventable. Fires need three things to start – a source of ignition (heat), a source of fuel (something that burns) and oxygen:
•sources of ignition include heaters, lighting, naked flames, electrical equipment, smokers’ materials (cigarettes, matches etc), and anything else that can get very hot or cause sparks
•sources of fuel include wood, paper, plastic, rubber or foam, loose packaging materials, waste rubbish and furniture
•sources of oxygen include the air around us.
The management of navigational incidents within the tidal Thames is normally undertaken through Port of London Authority (PLA) Port Control Centre, Gravesend or the Thames Barrier Navigation Centre at Woolwich.
The PLA's Emergency Manual provides the strategic basis for dealing with emergencies within or affecting the PLA’s area of jurisdiction including:
• Aircrash
• Chemical Pollution
• Collision with vessel/shore installation
• Fire/explosion – vessel
• Fire/explosion – ashore
• Grounding
• Hazardous substances washed ashore
• Oil pollution
• Sinking
• Contacting the Port of London Authority in an emergency or an incident that has implications for the tidal Thames
Please contact Port of London Authority