Severe floods in Nassington and Yarwell.Severe floods in Nassington and Yarwell.
Severe floods in Nassington and Yarwell.

Drone images show extent of flooding in Peterborough area as fire crews deal with more than 600 calls in two days

Drone pictures have given a unique view of the extent of the flooding large areas close to Peterborough have suffered over the last week.

The images, taken by reader Spencer Holl, show the effects of Storm Bella and the torrential rain that came with it on nearby villages Nassington and Yarwell.

They show large swathes of land flooded, with many homes and caravans left surrounded by the barrage of water.

Recent heavy rain caused the River Nene to burst its banks and has left many low-lying areas surrounding Peterborough flooded.

The Environment Agency said it expects properties in Peterborough to continue to be affected for the next couple of days.

A statement on their Flood information service website said: “Heavy rain has fallen on the River Nene catchment over the last week causing river levels to rise.

“The rising river levels have caused flooding of low lying land and roads, and we expect properties in Peterborough to continue to be affected for the next couple of days.

“The river is forecast to continue to remain high as water moves down the system from the upper catchment. Low lying properties near the River Nene are most at risk. Stay safe and be aware of your local surroundings, avoid contact with flood water, and riverside paths.

“Our staff are out in the area to check the flood defences, clear blockages, and assist the Emergency Services and Council.”

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue has also been working flat out in response to the floods and has issued advice on how residents can assist their efforts.

Area Commander Chris Parker said: “While many residents were enjoying the festive period, our crews, officers and emergency call handlers were hard at work helping those impacted by the flooding seen across the county.

“Working with our partners from the Environment Agency, Cambridgeshire Constabulary and local authorities, crews were out pumping water out of properties, assisting with travel to rest centres and helping build flood defences. Crews also assisted people trapped in their vehicles after attempting to travel through flooded roads.

“This was a very challenging operation for everyone involved, from the dynamic flash flooding phase to the preparation for the arrival of Storm Bella. The coordination group declared it a major incident due to the response needed.

“Our Combined Fire Control dealt with more than 600 incidents in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk between the first call on Wednesday afternoon and Christmas Day morning, while also moving crews around the county to maintain cover for other emergencies.

“The partners remained in contact regularly over Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day to coordinate the activities to help keep residents as safe as possible. Luckily the weather did not hit Cambridgeshire as badly as other parts of the region.

“Although we plan for incidents like this, it always brings challenges, especially during the early dynamic phases.

“Residents can help with this by following some simple steps, such as checking for weather warnings, having sand bags to hand (even homemade ones using sand from any home maintenance shop) and never driving through flood water on a road. More information about being prepared is available on our website.

“As an emergency service we are always prepared to respond, even at Christmas. Our staff worked incredibly hard from the first call, day and night, to help those in need. I would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work, including those from our partner agencies.”

To access more advice from the fire service about being prepared for flooding, click here.