Flooding advice

Report flooding

If you experience flooding, call the Flooding Incident Line on 03002 000 100.

EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS - LINK

Preparing for flooding

• Keep some sandbags to block doorways.
• Keep some short wooden boards to nail over airbricks.
• Make a household flood plan and flood kit.
• Listen to local weather, news and travel bulletins on radio and TV. You can also check for warnings of severe weather on the Met Office website or register to receive alerts via email. 
• Make sure you have adequate insurance and that you are covered for flood damage. If you own your own home you should have both buildings and contents insurance. If you live in public or private rented accommodation you should have contents insurance. Your landlord should have buildings insurance on the property.
• Talk to your neighbours and consider having a community emergency plan for your area. Be neighbourly - there may be people near you who could use your help in a flooding emergency.
• Consider the various ways flood water could enter your home and consider making changes to prevent this.
• Report a road drainage fault (link opens in new window) - find out what to do if there is an issue with blocked gullies, roadside drainage or ponding to nidirect.

If you live near to Belfast Lough or the River Lagan remember that when it rains heavily and there is a high tide, this can increase the risk of flooding. You can see the tide levels by visiting Bangor on the National Tidal and Sea Level Facility (link opens in new window). When it rains heavily it can take some time for the water to run off and river levels may stay high even after the rain has stopped.

Household flood plan

A household flood plan can help to reduce the impact of flooding: 

• Make a household emergency life-saving plan with everyone in your house. This will make sure you know where to meet each other if you become separated and will help you to write down a list of important contact numbers and information in advance.
• Plan who will turn off the gas if water enters your home. You should not touch any electrical fittings and do not need to turn off the mains water supply.
• Make up an emergency flood kit and add extra things you will need in a flooding emergency like rubber gloves, waterproof clothing and boots.
• Think about what belongings you can move now and what you would want to move during a flood. Make sure you move your treasured family possessions to safety before a flood. It’s also useful to plan in advance what other things you might like to move to safety such as cars, pets, furniture and items in your garden.

Homeowner flood protection grant

The Homeowner flood protection grant scheme is a government scheme is designed to help residents in known flood prone areas make their property more flood resistant.

Visit the Department for Infrastructure website (link opens new window) for more information.

Flood insurance scheme

Flood Re is a flood insurance scheme that has been set up to help those households who live in a flood risk area find affordable home insurance.

Visit the Flood Re website (link opens in new window) for more information.

What to do if there's a flood

If someone’s life is at risk due to flood water, always ring 999.

To report serious flooding in your area, call the Flooding Incident Line on 0300 2000 100. This line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You don't need to know the cause of the flooding.

• You can also report fallen trees to nidirect (link opens in new window).

Follow these rules to protect your safety during a flood:

• Try to avoid coming into contact with flood water – it can be dangerous and may be contaminated.
• Follow the advice of the emergency services, even if they ask you to leave your home for your own safety.
• Stay away from flooded drains. Drains are especially dangerous as the power of the water entering them may suck you in.
• Remember that flooding problems are worse at night when you can’t see.
• Remember that the flow of the water may be so powerful that six inches of water could sweep you off your feet.
• Consider whether any journey is really necessary. If you have to travel, don’t drive through flood water. Two feet of water can lift and float a car.
• Put your mobile phone in a plastic bag to keep it dry and keep in touch with your friends, relatives and neighbours.
• Keep yourself informed by listening to the local radio station. The local stations are all listed in your household emergency life-saving plan (link opens in new window).

If there is a flood, don't:

• Smoke or use a naked flame where there is a smell of petrol or oil from flood water.
• Forget that cold water may quickly incapacitate you.
• Go into the water. It can contain hidden traps like missing manhole covers, sharp objects and fast moving objects. It is impossible to know the depth of the water before you enter it. If you must go in the water, you should do so only with another person, in case you get into difficulties. Use a stick or pole to help to feel your way and gauge the depth of the water.
• Let children or pets play in or near flood water or play with toys that have been in flood water until they have been cleaned with disinfectant.

Sandbag collection

If your home has experienced flooding in the past or you need to protect your home from flooding you can request sandbags, which are delivered by council Parks staff. To request sandbags, or for advice, call us on 028 9027 0428 (office hours only). When there is a high risk of severe weather, we will open sandbag containers for community self-collection.

Community sandbag container locations

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