North and East Yorkshire flood defence work nearly complete yorkpress.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from yorkpress.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
BBC News
Published
image captionAlmost 100 home and businesses in Snaith faced extensive flooding from the River Aire
A year after floods damaged almost 100 homes in East Yorkshire, some residents have still not returned to their homes.
Resident Kevin Lorryman s home was completely engulfed in 9ft (3m) of flood water, and he is still living in rented accommodation.
He said he is locked in negotiations with his insurance company over a claim to have the house rebuilt. They [the insurance company] are saying it can be renovated, but we say it needs to be rebuilt, he said. It is green inside. We are sat in a situation where we think they know it s coming down, but we just have to provide the evidence.
Rock armour used to strengthen the embankment next to the Sloop Inn at Temple Hirst
February 2020 was the wettest on record in Yorkshire, with the River Aire catchment experiencing three and a half times the average monthly rainfall. This resulted in large volumes of water spilling from the lower River Aire in to the washlands, filling them to capacity and in some cases, overflowing.
This in turn damaged a number of flood embankments that sit alongside the river to protect local communities. Emergency temporary repairs were carried out in the immediate aftermath of the flooding and the Environment Agency has spent the rest of the year making permanent repairs at locations across the Lower Aire washlands.
River Aire flood defences are winter ready as work continues on permanent repairs
Permanent repairs to flood embankments on the lower River Aire are underway after they were damaged during storms last winter.
From: Reinforcing the embankment at Poor Bank
The repairs form part of a £10M package of work that will reduce flood risk to communities across North Yorkshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire including Snaith and Gowdall.
Emergency temporary repairs were carried out in the immediate aftermath of the flooding, but now permanent works at locations across the Lower Aire Washlands will repair the damage caused and strengthen defences.