Severe flooding caused by heavy rainfall inundated parts of Greater Manchester on New Year's Day, displacing residents and resulting in extensive damage. The rapid onset of the floodwaters raised concerns about the adequacy of flood warnings and preparedness measures.
Just hours after Manchester welcomed in the new year, parts of the region became submerged in rapidly rising water. Coming after torrential rainfall across the north west, Greater Manchester awoke on New Year's Day to scenes unlike anything residents said they had ever seen before. Over 1,300 people were forced to evacuate from homes and hotels, and vehicles and properties were badly damaged.
This part of the country is no stranger to floods, nor heavy rainfall - huge floods in 2021 and 2015 also saw people evacuated from homes and huge damage to public infrastructure. But this time, some in south Manchester say they are worried flood gates were not opened until it was too late. Those in Didsbury, Stockport, and Trafford have been particularly badly affected after the River Mersey burst its banks early in the morning on New Year's Day. The Environment Agency have insisted their assets operated as required. At a kennels in Urmston where around 25 dogs were staying, owners told the M.E.N they didn't receive a flood notification until around 9am - 45 minutes after the worst flooding started. Naomi Ewen and Mike Sutherland, who run Manchester Boarding Kennels on Willow Farm, said they were given 'no warning' of the disastrous floods by the Environment Agency. As a consequence the pair were unable to rescue all the pups, and four sadly died. 'There's normally a weather alert, but we didn't have one until four hours after the flood,' Naomi said. 'Between about 7am and quarter to eight the bridge was covered and we couldn't get in. 'We have plans in place in case anything happens - but we rely on weather warnings. This time it happened in 45 minutes without any warning.' Nearby at Barrowfield Dog Park, new business owners Sarah and Pete Reilly, Laura Maher, and Kevin Connelly were also left scrambling after the floodwater rose at speeds they said they had never seen before
FLOODS MANCHESTER ENVIRONMENT AGENCY WEATHER WARNINGS RIVER MERSEY
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