Flood incident room opens in Wallingford

A new Environment Agency (EA) flooding incident room opens later in Oxfordshire.

Based at the EA's tactical command centre near Wallingford, it enables staff to monitor and respond around the clock to flooding in the area.

Real-time data, forecasting and tracking systems relay information from the main rivers in the West Thames.

The EA estimates that around 117,000 properties are at risk of river flooding across the Thames Valley area.

Ian Tomes, EA's flood and coastal risk manager, said: "It is crucial we lead the way in responding to both floods and environmental incidents.

"Our tactical command centre now covers almost twice the geographic area and it needs to be bigger and better to do so.

"With the incident room, we have extra resources, accommodation and the latest technical equipment to do the job."

Teams based in the incident room will co-ordinate responses to river flooding throughout the Thames Valley area, from the river's source in the Cotswolds to where it becomes tidal in west London and from Guildford in Surrey to Banbury in north Oxfordshire.