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Gloucestershire residents concerned that the recent wet weather may cause widespread flooding in the county should be reassured by recent forecasts showing a low probability of major flooding problems occurring. The latest information from the Met Office suggests that over the coming weekend Gloucestershire will experience levels of rainfall that would be regarded as typical for the county during the winter months. Though there is very little risk of major flooding, members of Gloucestershire's Local Resilience Forum (LRF), which includes the Police, the Fire and Rescue service, the Ambulance service and the County Council, have already met as a precautionary measure. The meeting, which occurred at the Constabulary's headquarters building in Waterwells, Quedgeley, was also attended by representatives of the Met Office and the Environment Agency, who were able to give up-to-the-minute information on the state of water courses in the county and the prevailing weather conditions. Assistant Chief Constable Mick Matthews, who chaired the meeting, said: "The members of the LRF met as a normal precautionary measure in response to the recent, and continuing, wet weather. "We have spoken in detail with our colleagues in the Met Office and the Environment Agency and, as a result of our discussions, the emergency services are not anticipating the kind of rise in water levels that we had in the county in July 2007. "The public should be reassured that contingency plans are in place in case the weather situation radically changes from the current forecast, and that resources are currently on stand-by to assist where there are areas of localised flooding. "We will continue to monitor the situation over the weekend." http://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/ |
