Council crews working 'round the clock' to deal with impact of Storm Chandra
Skilling Playing Fields and nearby areas in Bridport were left flooded after the River Brit burst its banks following Storm Chandra
Dorset has been left grappling with widespread flooding after Storm Chandra brought heavy rain onto already saturated ground, prompting emergency rescues, road closures and renewed warnings of further disruption.
Dorset Council said its highways teams had been working “round the clock” to deal with the impacts of the storm, which triggered an amber weather warning earlier this week.
While that warning has now been lifted, a yellow warning for further rain remains in place for Thursday, with river and groundwater levels still rising.
Several areas around Bridport have been badly affected, with Skilling Playing Fields were left underwater after the River Brit burst its banks.
Maiden Newton Fire Station attended six incidents in and around Bridport in a single day, including four cases where vehicles became stuck in deep floodwater.
Crews from Bridport Fire Station also assisted with a rescue in Chilfrome, entering floodwater to free a trapped driver after a van became stranded.
A Dorset Council spokesperson said: “Last night’s deluge fell onto land that was already holding as much water as it could.
“Some parts of our drainage network simply aren’t designed to cope with that much water at once, but they usually recover quickly once the rain eases.”
Crews are focusing on clearing drains, responding to residents’ reports and closing roads where necessary to prevent people becoming stuck.
Bridport Town Council project manager Caroline Pearce said flooding is an ongoing challenge for the town: “Bridport is at the bottom of a very steep valley and we’ve got overflow from the rivers, so we have a flood plan in place.
“We know where flooding is likely and we update it if new properties are affected.”
She said lessons from previous floods were helping residents prepare, with more people now using sandbags and flood-proof doors.
The last major flooding, in winter 2023, caused greater property damage than this latest event, she added.
The Environment Agency said the main coastal concerns have now passed but warned that large rivers could continue to rise for up to three days after heavy rainfall, meaning further flooding remains possible downstream.
Dorset Council said it is continuing to work closely with the Environment Agency, emergency services and partner organisations to monitor conditions and support affected communities as the wet weather continues.