THE River Wharfe and its
tributaries will burst their banks today flooding Ilkley, Addingham and Burley-in-Wharfedale.
But there's no need to dig out the waders and canoe
paddles just yet because the effects of the flood will be
confined to a single room in a Leeds office building.
Officers of the Environment Agency will be teaming up with West Yorkshire Police and emergency planners from Bradford Council for the
simulated flood.
Exercise codename 'Lido', held during Flood Awareness Week, will test out the response procedures of the major organisations involved and assess how well they work together.
All the action will take place in the Area Incident Room at the Environment Agency's Phoenix House in Leeds.
More than one million homes are at risk from flooding in England and Wales and for these property owners,
the chance of being flooded
is greater than the risk of
fire.
But research by the Environment Agency, responsible for flood warning throughout England and Wales, shows that only five per cent of people in flood risk areas take the threat of
flooding seriously enough to prepare for what can be
devastating damage and loss.
For the exercise, a computer programme will be used to help simulate flooding of the main River Wharfe and some of the tributaries which are the responsibility of the local authority.
John Woods, flood warning officer for the Agency, said one of the most valuable elements of the exercise was that it
was an opportunity to work closely with other organisations.
He said: "Ultimately, improved working relationships with the other organisations which have a duty of
care in the event of a flood can only be beneficial to the
public."
The simulated incident will trigger off yellow and amber warnings as it develops and the main stage will lead to red warnings and floods.
Mr Woods said: "The exercises are carried out in each local authority area and are part of the recommendations contained in the Bye Report which followed the Easter floods last year.
"The Agency is obviously keen to take every opportunity possible to improve its flood warning systems and its response to floods."
l During the last real flood to affect the area in February 1995, a combination of melting snow and continual rain resulted in a number of homes in Denton Road and Gilstead Way being flooded.
The courts at Ilkley Lawn Tennis and Squash Club were also inundated and the clubhouse was surrounded by a sea of water.
Ilkley experienced a great flood in 1900 when a man died as torrential rain turned the town's streets into rivers.
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