Power cuts caused by flooding 'major danger' to British lives, engineers warn

Report says infrastructure such as electricity grids and communication networks are not adequately protected from the threat

Power cuts caused by flooding are a major danger to people's lives in the UK and "could happen anywhere" because infrastructure such as electricity grids and communications networks are not adequately protected against the threat, according to a new report.

The finding, from the Royal Academy of Engineering, calls into question the UK's preparedness for incidences of weather-related disasters, even as scientists and government advisers have warned that they will become more frequent, owing to climate change.