Flood warnings and alerts still in place for Norfolk and Waveney

Three flood alerts and nine flood warnings remain in place for Norfolk and Waveney, but the Environment Agency says water levels are receding.

The past week saw hundreds of people in the county affected by flooding, with Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service declaring a major incident last Wednesday.

Families were forced to leave their homes over Christmas and have been picking up the pieces after torrential rain wreaked havoc across Norfolk and Waveney. 

People across the region, particularly in south Norfolk and the Waveney Valley, were hit by flash floods as heavy rain poured relentlessly.

Families living on dozens of roads in Thetford, Brandon and Hockwold were told to leave their homes on Saturday night as the River Thet breached its bank for the first time in half a century and water levels on the Little Ouse rose rapidly.

As of Wednesday morning, three flood alerts remained in place.

One was for the Little Ouse River and River Thet at Thetford, Brandon and Hockwold.

The Environment Agency said: "River levels remain high but continue to fall at the Abbey Heath river gauge.

"This means that the risk of flooding remains but is reducing.

"Flooding may affect Primrose Close, The Meadows, Castle Lane, Mill Lane, Old Bury Road, Bridge Street, Riverside Walk, Canon’s Close, Coney Close and Coventry Way in Thetford, Teal Walk, High Street and Riverside Way in Brandon and Church Lane in Hockwold."

But they added: "No further significant rainfall is expected over the next 48 hours, therefore we expect river levels to continue to slowly reduce."

An alert also remains in place at the River Nar at Narborough, Marham, Wormegay and Saddle Bow.

The Environment Agency said river levels had fallen at Marham, but remained high at Setchy Bridge river gauge.

They said the risk of flooding remained, but was reducing.

The third and final flood alert was for the River Thet at Shropham, East Harling and Shadwell.

The Environment Agency said: "River levels are slowly falling but remain high at the Redbridge river gauge following the recent heavy rainfall.

"This means that the risk of property flooding remains."

Less severe flood warnings are in place in nine areas: Welney Causeway; Hundred Foot Washes; other parts of the Little Ouse and River Thet; other sections of the Nar; the Waveney from Diss and the River Dove to Ellingham, including Bungay; the Yare at Norwich, from Cringleford to Trowse; the Bure, Ant and Thurne; the Waveney from Ellingham to Breydon Water and the Yare from Thorpe St Andrew to Breydon Water