Service hope to prevent a repeat of scenes like this

by Martin Jefferies

A huge emergency exercise is underway today to find out how Kent would cope with catastrophic flooding from tidal surges, overflowing rivers or collapsing reservoirs.

Police, firefighters and experts from the Environment Agency will all be put to the test as part of Exercise Watermark.

They will have to make critical decisions as devastating floods are simulated across the county.

The scenarios will help ensure the 70,000 homes and businesses in Kent at risk of flooding can be evacuated in time in the event of a real-life emergency.

They will also test measures put in place to protect the county since some parts of the UK were hit by severe flooding in 2007.

James Humphrys, regional director at the Environment Agency, said: "One in six properties in England and Wales is at risk of flooding and it's only by working and practising together that we'll be ready to protect people's lives, homes and livelihoods when flooding hits.

"Climate change presents us with rising sea levels, more extreme weather and more frequent and widespread flooding.

"We can't stop rain from falling but if we regularly prepare and test how we react to a flood, we're in a better position to anticipate and manage the consequences when they happen."

Exercise Watermark will involve around 10,000 people nationwide and is believed to be the largest emergency exercise ever carried out in Britain.

A school will be evacuated and people stranded on rooftops will be winched to safety using rescue helicopters as part of the £1.8 million operation.