Rotherham MP ‘appalled by failure’ to notify Catcliffe residents of flooding – but Environment Agency say village was warned

Storm Babet brought around a month’s worth of rainfall in 18-36 hours and the end of last week, and the river Rother in Catcliffe saw the highest river levels ever recorded.

Around 120 properties in Catcliffe were evacuated by firefighters in the early hours of Saturday morning, after the river burst its banks.

The Environment Agency said it issued a flood alert, which means flooding is possible, at 9.52am on Friday morning.

A spokesperson added that a flood warning, meaning flooding is expected, was sent out at 2.14am on Saturday morning.

Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham, said she is ‘appalled’ by the failure to warn residents in good time of the risk of flooding.

“Notification to residents was not made until at least 2.15am on Saturday morning, by which time it was too late to take any meaningful action. This is simply not good enough.

“The Environment Agency have said that between 11pm on Friday night and 2:15am Saturday morning, river levels did not behave as they anticipated. That will be cold comfort to those whose homes have been flooded with little to no warning.

“There needs to be more work done to understand why this happened and to make sure it never happens again.

"The Environment Agency also explained that the flood was a result of both surface water and the breach of the river’s defences. But nothing they have told me has explained why this could not be foreseen earlier and I will keep pushing for answers.”

The Environment Agency added that Catcliffe’s flood defences have been inspected and are in good condition, but that they were ‘overtopped by the unprecedented river levels’.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “We know the devastating impact flooding can have, and our thoughts are with all of those affected.

“We will be carefully considering what actions can be taken to further support communities, including in Catcliffe.

“We are also working with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to verify the timings around the onset of flooding and the source of the floodwater.”