Major Flooding Risks UK Wide – 17 Dec 2025

🔴 SOUTH WEST ENGLAND — WIDESPREAD & PERSISTENT FLOOD RISK

Status: River levels have generally peaked but remain dangerously high.
Key issue: Catchments are saturated and further rainfall Wednesday–Thursday may trigger renewed rises.

Devon (High Concentration)

River Axe

• Areas: Seaton, Colyton, Axminster, Axmouth
• Rivers falling slowly but still overtopping low land and roads
• Responsive to further rainfall

Rivers Clyst & Culm

• Areas: Cullompton, Willand, Culmstock, Hemyock, Bradninch, Broadclyst, Clyst St Mary
• Levels peaking but floodplain still active

River Exe

• Upper / Middle / Lower Exe
• Areas: Exebridge, Bampton, Tiverton, Bickleigh, Rewe, Stoke Canon, Exeter
• Rivers remain high all day with renewed rise risk mid-week

River Teign

• Areas: Newton Abbot, Kingsteignton, Teignmouth, Shaldon, Bovey Tracey, Dawlish
• Coastal and tidal influence may slow drainage

South Devon Rivers

• Areas: Ivybridge, South Brent, Kingsbridge, Dartmouth, Harbertonford
• Ongoing flooding of roads and low-lying land

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🔴 SOMERSET — MOORS & PUMPING DEPENDENT

Lower Tone & Parrett Moors

• Currymoor pumping station critical
• River Tone at 7.45m — spillway activation threshold reached
• Road flood triggers:
  • Cutts Road: >5.75m
  • New Road: >6.18m
• Pumping dependent on downstream levels
• Further rain expected from 12:00 Wed

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🔴 DORSET — RIVERS + GROUNDWATER COMBINED RISK

River Frome (Lower)

• Areas already affected: Dorchester → Wareham corridor
• Flooding impacting multiple villages and rural roads
• Additional rain Wed–Thu may prolong flooding

River Piddle

• Tributaries between Alton Pancras and Wareham
• Roads and farmland at risk

Upper Dorset Stour

• Areas: Gillingham, Sturminster Newton
• Flooding ongoing; secondary rise possible

West Dorset Groundwater Flooding

• Rising chalk aquifers
• Flooding may persist days to weeks
• Residents advised to:
  • Check pumps
  • Prepare property-level protection
• Update window extends to 23 December

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🔴 MIDLANDS — MULTIPLE CATCHMENTS ACTIVE

Warwickshire

• River Avon (Rugby → Bidford)
  • Warwick, Stratford-upon-Avon
  • Caravan parks & farmland affected
• River Blythe (Cheswick Green → Blyth End)
• River Dene
  • Walton, Wellesbourne, Charlecote

Leicestershire / Warwickshire Border

• River Anker & River Sence
  • Nuneaton → Tamworth
  • Roads and footpaths at risk

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🔴 EASTERN DRAINAGE SYSTEMS

South Forty Foot Drain (Lincolnshire)

• Minor watercourses rising
• Property flooding possible
• Flood Warnings likely if rain persists

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⚠️ KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR READERS

• This is not a “one-day flood”
• Rivers may fall slowly, then rise again
• Avoid floodwater entirely — roads are the primary risk
• Groundwater flooding behaves very differently and lasts longer
• Thursday 18th is a renewed risk window