Flood warning on the River Thames running through Oxford remains in place alongside two other flood warnings on the Rivers Thames and Ray running through Oxfordshire. Only one village in west Oxfordshire has been flooded so far but the possibility of flooding of roads and homes in Oxford is still at large.
“We have had little or no rain overnight but it has started raining again now and will continue through the day,” said Rob Alexander, spokesman for the Environment Agency. “The River Thames is still rising and this will affect all the watercourses running through Oxford.
With the River Thames expected to rise over 10 cm by the end of day, Oxford’s emergency planners say they are “planning for the worst but hoping for the best,” after having undergone extensive flood damages last summer.
Oxford City Council has installed a water pump and a JCB digger at PC World on Botley Road and has also delivered sandbags to various locations in the city. Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service has firefighters out in most areas of risk.
Oxfordshire’s assistant chief fire officer David Etheridge told BBC Oxford, “We have to accept that flooding is part of everyday winter life now.” He also advised residents affected by floods last July, to lift furniture from the ground and sandbag “external openings” such as front and rear doors.
