Frequency and location of flood events

Frequency and location of flood events

Flooding appears to be becoming and increasingly frequent event. In 1607 a great flood affected Devon, Somerset and South Wales. Major floods, however, were infrequent in the UK. 

In March 1947, major floods did occur, affecting many areas of southern, central and north eastern England, including York, Tewkesbury, Shrewsbury, Sheffield, Nottingham, and London, following the rapid melting of snow. 

The combined effects of storm surge and high tides contributed to the floods of January 1953 that hit the east coast, including Suffolk, Essex and Kent, when huge waves washed away sea defences and 307 people died. 

In 1968 another great flood affected counties in south west England. 

Since 1998 headlines about floods have been an almost annual occurrence. 

Major flood events 1998-2009

• April 1998 - Warwickshire, Gloustershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Leicestershire, south east Wales - rivers Avon, Severn, Wye
• April 1998 - Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire - rivers Nene, Great Ouse
• March 1999 - Malton and Norton flooded by Derwent and its tributaries
• May 2000 - Uckfield, Petworth, Robertsbridge, Horsham (sussex) - rivers Uck and Rother
• June 2000 - Calder Valley, Yorkshire and York - rivers Calder and Ouse
• August 2004 - Boscastle (Cornwall) - river Valency
• January 2005 - Carlisle - river Eden
• June 2007 - Large areas of south and east Yorkshire including Doncaster, Sheffield and Hull - rivers Don, Hull, Witham
• June 2007 - Parts of Lincolnshire including Lincoln and Louth
• July 2007 - Large areas of Gloucestershire including Upton-upon-severn, Tewkesbury, Gloucester - rivers Avon and Severn
• July 2007 - Oxfordshire including Oxford, Banbury and Witney - rivers Thames, Windrush and Cherwell 
• November 2009 - Cockermouth and the Derwent valley to Workington - rivers Derwent and Cocker