UK towns and cities hit by flash flooding 51 times since 2007

Flooding in past 14 years has caused major disruption to schools, hospitals and care homes, analysis finds

Flooding over the past 14 years has caused major disruption to towns and cities, schools, hospitals and care homes, a study reveals.

The analysis shows towns and cities have been hit by flash flooding 51 times. Fifteen hospitals and 68 schools have also suffered from rising flood waters, which have caused major disruption to patients and to children.

Urban drainage: heavy rainfall puts drainage and sewerage infrastructure under strain, even exceeding their limits, and contributing to flooding in some cases.

Hospitals: at least 15 experienced flooding causing disruption or imminent risk of disruption to patient services or hospital support services,

Schools: a least 68 schools have suffered sufficient water entering buildings to disrupt lessons, or school transport; 22 suffered at least significant damage and seven severe damage and

Care homes: nine care homes and four retirement complexes have been flooded. Major disruptions to social care included carers unable to reach elderly people in rural areas; loss of power, hot water and heating in care homes.