Severe weather warning around Yarwell Mill
Police and Local Resilience Forum crews have given an update
A severe flood warning – meaning there is a risk to life – has been issued at Yarwell Mill and the surrounding area, as the Local Resilience Forum (LRF) continue to work together to respond to the widespread flooding across Northamptonshire.
It follows a rise in water levels and Environment Agency advice that these have yet to peak.
The site on the outskirts of Peterborough is home to nearly 300 people and over the past few days, all have been advised to evacuate. Many of the roads around the site are submerged and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) has launched boats at the park.
Teams have been onsite since then liaising with Site Management, Emergency Planning, Northamptonshire Search and Rescue, the Environment Agency, and Police, to help residents and encourage them to evacuate safely.
The NFRS Water Rescue Team has been patrolling the site since Tuesday offering assistance to residents and monitoring the situation as well
Council crews have set up a rest centre at Oundle Library and they stand ready to support all of the residents who have been evacuated.
Meantime, in West Northamptonshire, the Billing Aquadrome site is still inaccessible due to flooding and those displaced are being told they "should not return until they are advised to do so by the site management company".
Superintendent Steve Freeman, who is heading the response to the flooding through the Local Resilience Forum (LRF) said:
“We have been working hard over the past few days to deliver a robust, multi-agency response to this situation and I would like to thank the local community for their patience.
“Since this was declared a major incident on Monday (November 25), we have been advising residents at Yarwell Mill to evacuate. A severe flood warning has now been issued at the site and to prioritise everyone’s safety, I would strongly advise that everyone there evacuates until it is safe to return. So if you haven’t already left, you need to do so now. There is a serious risk to life by staying as the water levels there continue to rise.
“We will continue working hard, as a partnership, to respond to this ever-changing situation and anyone with any concerns is encouraged to contact the relevant LRF agency who will be happy to help.”