An investigation has been launched after residents were left homeless by flooding during Storm Babet, despite an alleviation scheme being in place. The storm, which forced hundreds across the county to evacuate their homes, brought more than a month’s worth of rain to Horncastle in 24 hours.
After 80 homes were hit, the Environment Agency announced it will carry out a ‘thorough investigation’ as to why its £8m flood alleviation scheme did not store as much water as it was designed to. Cllr Colin Davie, the executive member for environment at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Flooding devastates communities.
“Back in 2017, two much-needed flood alleviation schemes opened in Louth and Horncastle, designed to better protect the towns from the misery and disruption that flooding had brought previously. Understandably, six years later, residents are asking questions as to why Horncastle faced such extreme flooding again when the sister scheme in Louth appears to have worked as intended.”
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Cllr Davie said that early inspections pointed to a mechanical fault. Residents in the town were left homeless by the ‘horrendous flooding,’ with dozens losing their belongings.
India Gillender, 27, and her partner, Reece, were left living with Reece’s parents after their home in Water Lane was hit. Ms Gillender said: “I got back from grocery shopping on Friday afternoon and the water was getting high and running quite fast until the driveway started flooding.
“Within half an hour, I was stood up to my waist in water.” Cllr Davie added that once the flooding had subsided, the county council would be conducting its own investigation.