Suffolk Resilience Forum declares flooding a major incident as Storm Badet brings heavy rain

The Suffolk Resilience Forum declared a major incident in Suffolk on 20 October 2023, as heavy rain from Storm Badet caused severe flooding across the county¹. The forum, whose partners include councils, health bodies and emergency services, took the decision following an increasing number of flooded roads and the impact on schools, health and care provision and the emergency services¹. People in Suffolk were asked not to travel unless absolutely essential¹.

The declaration means public organisations will work more closely than usual, including joint decision-making, information-sharing and on-the-ground support for Suffolk residents¹. The county council's announcement set out the threshold applied: a major incident is called when the situation is believed to be beyond "business-as-usual" operations and when there is a heightened risk of serious harm, damage, disruption or threat to human life or welfare¹. Reports from each forum agency were considered before it was decided the situation met the agreed threshold, including special arrangements being implemented by one or more emergency responder agencies¹.

Jon Lacey, Suffolk's Chief Fire Officer, said:

By 8pm on 20 October the major incident remained in place, and children and teachers were still being kept safe in schools and leisure centres in Debenham, Mendlesham, Stradbrooke, Stowupland, Framlingham and Wetheringsett². In some cases arrangements were being made for children to stay the night; in others vehicles could reach the schools so children could go home, with local farmers assisting evacuations in some cases, and parents kept informed directly by schools². The fire chief said that although rainfall was easing in many places, the volume of surface water running off fields onto Suffolk roads meant conditions were still dangerous².

Motorists who did need to travel were advised to drive with caution, keep alert for surface water, drive according to the conditions, keep headlights on, increase the distance from the vehicle in front and be prepared to back off if visibility got worse¹.

Why it matters for households

The declaration applied to the whole county and was in force on the evening of 20 October 2023¹. The practical effect for households was the travel request: journeys only where absolutely essential, with the examples given of collecting a child from school, accessing medical treatment or returning home from work¹. Families in the six named places were affected by school and leisure centre arrangements, with parents told directly by schools rather than through public announcements². The forum said the rain was forecast to ease over the weekend but that everyone needed to take action to ensure lives were protected¹. The county council's explanation of what a major incident declaration means sets out how agencies coordinate once the threshold is met, and its guidance on flood warnings and on flooding for households covers the alert levels used during such events.

What happens next

The sources give no dated timetable beyond the weekend forecast that the rain would ease¹. The major incident was still in place at 8pm on 20 October, with the essential travel request reiterated². No further updates, casualty figures or damage estimates have been reported in these announcements. Households planning journeys during bad weather can refer to the guidance on whether to delay a journey.