Ryde floods: Council admits response was "overwhelmed"

Ryde was hit by flash flooding following heavy rainfall on 25 October

The council response to flooding which deluged homes and businesses on the Isle of Wight was "overwhelmed", its leader has admitted.

More than 120 properties in Ryde were hit by flash flooding following heavy rainfall on 25 October.

Residents said they had not received adequate assistance in cleaning up following the flood.

Council leader Phil Jordan said the unexpectedly-high level of rainfall had been an "extraordinary event".

He said the council had since rehoused five families and provided skips for residents to dispose of water-damaged items.

Sarah Morris said residents were frustrated by the official response to the flooding

He defended the councils provision of sandbags when the flood warnings were issued, saying 6,000 were available at three locations on the island but people had come from other areas and cleared Ryde's supplies.

"That was really unhelpful," he said.

Sarah Morris, of the local residents' association said the community had "pulled together really well" since the flooding.

"Everybody's trying to help each other, but its like banging your head of a brick wall trying to get any help from authorities," she added.

Another resident, Daniel Thomas, said there had been "very little support" for residents from the local authority.

"Somebody needs to take full responsibility for this and compensate the local area - there are so many people who have lost their homes, everything - it's heart-wrenching," he said.

The Environment Agency said 78mm of rain had fallen before the flooding last month - the most Ryde had experienced in 24 hours since 1949.

Flood-damaged possessions have been piled up outside homes

Mr Jordan said: "This [amount of rain] has caused a desperation and a situation that wasn't planned for... and our response has been overwhelmed."

"We've put into place ongoing recovery and help for people.

"We're not going to recover overnight from this disaster that's happened to people's lives, but we will do it and provide support for those people who need it right now."

He said that two reports had been commissioned into the flooding and the council would look at establishing a flood relief scheme.

"If this happens again, we may be in a better place to provide quicker and more intensive support," he said.

He confirmed Ryde has been included in the grant scheme for victims of Storm Babet, which struck the UK on 18 October, and was awaiting details of how it would be administered.