Flooding

If a flood is happening now and there is risk to life, call 999.

Flood recovery grants for those affected by Storm Henk

On this page:

• At risk of flooding
• What you can do to plan for flooding
• Flood and weather warnings
• Keeping healthy, safe and well after flooding
• Local flood risk management strategy
• Flood investigation report 2024

At risk of flooding

Check the long term flood risk for an area in England

What you can do to plan for flooding

If your property is in a flood-prone area then we advise you to:

• sign up for flood warnings
• what to do before or during a flood
• prepare your business for flooding
• make a personal flood plan
• make a community floor plan

You can find more information about what to do on the National Flood Forum. The forum is a charity run by people who have experience of flooding. It offers advice and support to communities and individual who have been flooded or are at risk of flooding.

Flood and weather warnings

Check for flooding in Reading on the GOV.UK website

Check UK weather warnings on the Met Office website

Keeping healthy, safe and well after flooding

Mental health impacts

Flooding can cause significant stress, even if your property isn’t directly affected. Common feelings include tiredness, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping. It’s vital to prioritize your and your loved ones’ mental health and wellbeing. Stress can arise from:

• disruptions in healthcare, household routines, schooling, and
• damage to homes and personal belongings.

Community support groups and neighbours can play a vital role in coping and recovery. Find out more about flood-related mental health impacts on GOV.UK.

Looking after yourself in the short term

There will be lots of practical work that needs to be done but making time to talk to someone you trust can be helpful. Your friends and family are there to support you and making the time to talk to and support each other to get better is important.

Start home clean-up efforts only when you feel mentally prepared and avoid overexertion during the recovery process. Remember, feelings of anxiety and stress are normal. We can offer some practical support and community centres can offer additional help.

Stay healthy by:

• find general advice about staying healthy after a flood.
• if you notice a change in the colour, taste or smell of your tap water, stop using it and phone your water company
• you can get support from your local health protection team to prevent and reduce the effect of diseases
• don’t eat food that’s touched flood water
• if your electricity is off, don’t eat fresh food from a fridge after 4 hours or from a freezer after 24 hours.
• find out more food safety advice after a flood from the Food Standards Agency website 

Local health services

In case of health concerns, contact your GP or call NHS 111.

Local flood risk management strategy

The Reading Borough Council local flood risk management strategy aims to increase awareness of local flood risks, provide an overview of the ongoing efforts to reduce these risks in Reading, and explain the long-term plan for managing flood risks.

Local Flood Risk Management Strategy

Flood investigation report 2024

This flooding investigation report, prepared on behalf of Reading Borough Council, investigates the impact of flooding in the Reading area in early January 2024 caused by Storm Henk.

Section 19 Flood Report