Sorry isn't good enough for Catcliffe residents after report finds flood warnings failed during Storm Babet

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
A failure in an automated system meant over 150 Rotherham homeowners were not warned of an impending flood during last year’s Storm Babet - and residents say ‘sorry’ isn’t good enough.

Dozens of residents gathered in Catcliffe Memorial Hall on Thursday (September 12) to hear the results of a report into why their homes were wrecked by rising water in the early hours of October 21, 2023, during the wettest three days in Yorkshire’s recorded history.

Catcliffe under water on October 21, 2023, following Storm Babet. The River Rother reportedly rose to the highest levels in Yorkshire’s recorded history, and 150 homes in Catcliffe and Treeton were wrecked.(Photo: NJT Photography Life)Catcliffe under water on October 21, 2023, following Storm Babet. The River Rother reportedly rose to the highest levels in Yorkshire’s recorded history, and 150 homes in Catcliffe and Treeton were wrecked.(Photo: NJT Photography Life)
Catcliffe under water on October 21, 2023, following Storm Babet. The River Rother reportedly rose to the highest levels in Yorkshire’s recorded history, and 150 homes in Catcliffe and Treeton were wrecked.(Photo: NJT Photography Life)

It was the same hall where many of them took shelter that night in 2023 after they were woken by neighbours banging on doors at 4am to get to safety. 250 properties were evacuated during the nightmare, requiring South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue to get people out in boats.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Several to this day have still not moved back into their homes, and everyone affected has suffered rising insurance costs and the loss of precious belongings.

Crews from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue helping people in Catcliffe by boat.Crews from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue helping people in Catcliffe by boat.
Crews from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue helping people in Catcliffe by boat.

It was no comfort, then, when the Environment Agency’s area director for Yorkshire, Mike Dugher, could only apologise that an automated system meant to send them all flood warning that night failed - but insisted it is otherwise “an excellent system.”

He told the audience: “What we always aim to try and do, as a minimum, is give people two hours’ notice, and what I want to acknowledge today is - we know, and I am sorry - that people didn’t get what should have been as a minimum two and a half hours notice, and was less that two hours in some cases.”

But the apology rang hollow for listeners, many of whom said the issue was not that the warning was ‘late’ or ‘delayed’ - but that it never arrived at all.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
MP for Rotherham Sarah Champion and area director for Yorkshire Mike Dugher address residents whose homes were flooded during Storm Babet at a meeting at Catcliffe Memorial Hall on September 12, 2024.MP for Rotherham Sarah Champion and area director for Yorkshire Mike Dugher address residents whose homes were flooded during Storm Babet at a meeting at Catcliffe Memorial Hall on September 12, 2024.
MP for Rotherham Sarah Champion and area director for Yorkshire Mike Dugher address residents whose homes were flooded during Storm Babet at a meeting at Catcliffe Memorial Hall on September 12, 2024. | National World

Mr Dugher explained how the storm was expected to keep moving through to North Yorkshire, but instead for ‘stuck’ over the East Midlands and South Yorkshire.

As a result, the River Rother reportedly rose to higher levels than the devastating floods of 2007.

A flood alert - meaning only a possibility of flooding - was issued for Catcliffe at 9.34am on Friday, October 20. However, alerts like this are extraordinarily common for Catcliffe and Treeton’s residents during harsh weather.

David Pickering inspects flood damage in his home in Catcliffe near Rotherham.David Pickering inspects flood damage in his home in Catcliffe near Rotherham.
David Pickering inspects flood damage in his home in Catcliffe near Rotherham.

Mr Dugher said: “As the river levels continue to rise throughout the day, they go through a series of automated triggers on our flood warning system, and 1.36am on [October 21], it went through a trigger that automatically queues up to send a flood warning.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“What we do know is that that warning didn’t land with you, as recipients, until after 2am.”

“It didn’t land at all,” one resident in the audience cut in. Many voices agreed, saying they received nothing.

The apology by the Environment Agency did not land well with residents at Catcliffe Memorial Hall on September 13. Many voiced frustration not at how the flood warning was "delayed," but at how they didn't get the warning at all. A call to install a flood siren in Catcliffe and Treeton received a round of applause.The apology by the Environment Agency did not land well with residents at Catcliffe Memorial Hall on September 13. Many voiced frustration not at how the flood warning was "delayed," but at how they didn't get the warning at all. A call to install a flood siren in Catcliffe and Treeton received a round of applause.
The apology by the Environment Agency did not land well with residents at Catcliffe Memorial Hall on September 13. Many voiced frustration not at how the flood warning was "delayed," but at how they didn't get the warning at all. A call to install a flood siren in Catcliffe and Treeton received a round of applause. | National World

The Environment Agency claims the warning began reaching residents by 2.14am, meaning a delay of around 40 minutes. This left less than two hours before water began pouring into people’s homes at around 4am. However, as residents insist, the issue is many of them didn’t receive a warning at all.

Mr Dugher explained the system works through a ‘queue’ of residents and then calls them on a landline or registered mobile number to spread the warning. Not only was the queue facing backlogs, but the system stops trying a number if it can’t get through after three attempts.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Meanwhile, residents were outraged to learn Environment Agency staff were monitoring the river close to Catcliffe on the night, but didn’t take action to knock on doors or contact emergency services.

Flood damage in Catcliffe as a result of Storm Babet.Flood damage in Catcliffe as a result of Storm Babet.
Flood damage in Catcliffe as a result of Storm Babet.

Mr Dugher continued: “The result was just short of 150 homes - your homes - were flooded in Catcliffe and Treeton as a result of what happened.

“I’ve been doing this job for a while now, I am acutely aware of how devastating that is for your your homes your family your friends.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Many residents - some of whom have now suffered through the floods in 2007 and now in 2023 - voiced their displeasure at the reliance on demonstrably unreliable automated systems, texts and alerts.

“There should be a siren installed in Catcliffe, and now,” said one resident, to applause.

“That is an excellent idea,” said MP for Rotherham Sarah Champion, who chaired the meeting.

One resident stood to say: “I lost everything in the flood. There are people here who lost photographs of family members, of children, that they’ll never get back, because you didn’t warn people in time.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We were coming out our homes in our pyjamas, not knowing that we would not ever get the chance to go back inside and get changed into something warmer.”

The Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council report claims it has invested £11.3m in flood alleviation schemes.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1887
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice