Deluged: Farmers across South East braced for further flooding

Farmers across the South East are braced for further flooding, with continued high winds and heavy rain in the wake of Storm Chandra.

More than 20 flood alerts are in place across Sussex, Kent and Surrey, according to the Environment Agency, while a lorry driver died after his vehicle crashed into a Hampshire river in the storm aftermath, police have said.

Hampshire has 29 flood warnings, while Buckinghamshire has 25, Berkshire has 12 and Oxfordshire 36, with more heavy rainfall forecast over the coming days.

According to the latest data from the Environment Agency, 20% of December’s rainfall was recorded on one day (18 December) in the South East, with a daily total of 37.2mm recorded at Petersfield. All top five totals were greater than 30mm.

Tim Bamford, regional director of the CLA covering Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, said: “Flooding is becoming more severe and frequent.

“Climate change, lack of sustainable drainage in urban areas, lack of funding to maintain river and flood-defence assets, peat degradation, and poor soil health on farmland are all contributing to greater flooding issues.

“Farmers’ land provides a valuable service when it floods by mitigating the severity of flooding for downstream communities and businesses. Many are willing to store floodwater on their land as long as they receive payment that covers their costs and lost income.

“While flooding cannot be wholly prevented, improving resilience is critical.”

According to Defra-commissioned research, winter floods cost farmers an average of £480 per hectare. Costs to arable and horticultural businesses may be two to four times higher respectively.