The island needs flood protection urgently
THE States of Guernsey commissioned a report on our flood risk by Royal Haskoning, which concluded in 2012 that several flood defences were required. In particular work was needed ‘with a high degree of urgency to address a very substantial risk of flooding from overtopping of the Bridge at the western end of St Sampson harbour’ as well as other necessary flood defences.
Much has been made by some of our deputies about the risk of seawater flooding, yet 13 years after receiving the Royal Haskoning report there is no discernable additional flood defence at the Bridge.
The Bank of England has recently warned that flooding will devastate the value of people’s homes because of the potential lack of flood insurance, leaving owners with the cost of repairs as well as posing challenges to the financial security of the UK. The very same applies to Guernsey.
Climate change is accelerating, causing storm surges in the sea level to become higher and more frequent. The low lying areas of Guernsey are increasingly at risk of devastating seawater flooding, especially at the times of high spring tides. However the precise risk is difficult to calculate and varies according to the coastal location. In any one year flooding of a low lying area is unlikely but it is definitely possible.
Crucially, this means Guernsey may have a severe overtopping seawater flood this year. Given the ‘reasonable worst case scenario’ of seawater pouring into what remains of the Braye du Valle and around 1,000 properties being flooded as well as the enormous cost and damage to Guernsey, we need flood protection urgently.
As any particular seawater flood would affect either the east coast or the west coast, a sensible and timely, stopgap alternative, available now, is a temporary flood barrier, as used in the UK and all over Europe. These could be set up in a day or so, to temporarily protect the most vulnerable areas, then taken down after the danger has passed.
Deputies repeatedly raise the spectre of this flood risk, then dither, dawdle and delay any decision on its mitigation, which looks like needlessly gambling, Russian roulette style, with Guernsey’s future. Does Guernsey’s political class just not really care? Crossing our fingers and hoping we don’t flood simply isn’t good enough for Guernsey.
KEITH WATSON
Avalon
La Miellette