In England, there is already open talk that entire settlements may have to be completely abandoned due to the risk of flooding, NOVA reported.
A British parliamentary committee has issued a report in which flooding was identified as one of the most serious consequences of climate change for the United Kingdom. It was reported that over 6 million properties are at risk and at least 1.5 billion pounds should be allocated for the construction of protective facilities and updating urban development plans. Also, work should be done on a new model of insurance in frequently flooded areas, as insurance companies are withdrawing from them.
The picturesque English town of Tambury Wells has become the first in which no company wants to insure against floods. The reason is that after 2019 they have become annual. The state does not allocate money to build protective facilities and the locals believe that their lives there are doomed.
"Residents are alert, they are worried and their mental health is suffering. Knowle is a small village between Langport and Somerton that has never flooded before, but last winter nine houses were flooded every month. There are only 40 houses in the village and such incidents have a huge impact on the local community. One man told me how water penetrated every wall of his house, another - how he was unable to return home until mid-summer after last winter's flood. Their experience and that of many residents in the area and across the country, as well as the data set out in the national flood risk assessment, shows that heavier rainfall and rising sea levels are already threatening 2.4 million properties,” said MP Sarah Dyke.
Insurers have also carried out an analysis – the number of properties at risk of flooding in the area has increased by 66%. And London and Manchester will also be affected by future flooding.
“I received an email from Laura, a constituent in Abingdon. She lives in an area that has been flooded three times in the last year and there is another flood warning for the River Oke. She says that because of the flooding neither she nor her neighbours can sell their houses, as estate agents say that properties have to be dry for at least five years before they can even be put up for sale. As a result, local people could lose millions, and some have already lost their jobs because they cannot move," said MP Leila Moran.
That's why experts say building flood defences in some areas will be uneconomical or impossible. And entire communities in them may have to be abandoned.
"To reassure people about new homes, we have committed to building more high-quality, well-designed and sustainable homes and to ensuring that they are not exposed to flooding, and that they do not increase the risk of flooding. If there are no alternative sites and buildings have to be built in areas where there is a risk of flooding, the houses must be flood-resistant throughout their lifespan. And they must not increase the overall risk of flooding," said Deputy Minister Emma Hardy.