Greater Manchester was hit with torrential rain over new year which led to a major incident being declared due to the flooding which followed.
Sixteen flood warnings remained in force around Greater Manchester until the morning of 2 January, though all but one in Wigan had been lifted by Thursday lunchtime.
Many homes had to be evacuated and Greater Manchester Police said it was dealing with incidents in Bolton, Bowdon, Didsbury, Harpurhey, Stalybridge, Stockport and Wigan over the course of New Year’s Day.
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Mayor Andy Burnham said that the flooding took the region by surprise. He said: “I think we do have to have a look back at the warnings. We were all taken by surprise by some degree.
“There was no named storm. There was not a particular warning the authorities gave.
“I am not saying that to point the finger… but it does seem we get hit by very local torrential rain at potential locations. That might have made it a unique event.”
Many homes have been flooded and evacuated due to the flooding, repairs to which can be very costly and time consuming. But did you know that you can check the flood risk of properties online using the gov.uk website?
How to check the flood risk of a property
If you are looking to move home, it is a good idea to check the flood risk of any prospective properties -Credit:WalesOnline/Rob Browne
You can check the long term flood risk of your home, or prospective home if you are looking to move, by using the Gov.uk online flood checker.
All you need to do is input the postcode of the property, select the correct address from the options and it will provide you with all the flood-related information.
It will tell you how high the risk of surface water as well risk of flooding from rivers and seas. It also provides information about flooding from groundwater and reservoirs.
When looking to buy a home, it is advisable to check the flood risk of the property you want to buy to make sure that you aren’t buying a house in a flood zone.