Council announces support for those hit by flood devastation

Manchester City Council has announced additional support for residents and businesses devastated by flooding on New Year's Day.

The heavy rainfall on New Year's Eve brought the River Mersey to a 66-year-high, forcing more than 1,000 people across Greater Manchester to evacuate.

The Manchester Evening News previously reported that refugees living in a hotel in Didsbury were rescued from their accommodation in dinghies, while some residents at a converted mill in Stockport have been unable to return to their homes more than a week on from the flooding.

Stockport Council has since written an open letter to the owner and management company of the building urging them to assist residents, some of whom have run out of money to pay for hotels and have been forced to return to flats without heat or light.

But Manchester City Council confirmed this week that council officers will be visiting affected residents, sharing advice and guidance on what to do after a flood, including how to contact their insurance company, the proper disposal of contaminated items, and where to find second-hand furniture.

Council staff are also paying visits to affected businesses to advise on how to properly clean their premises and safely restore electricity that was cut during flooding.

Work has also been underway to clean up parks and highways, especially along Palatine Road where there was significant debris washed in from the river nearby.

In what appears to be a reference to the criticism levelled at the Environment Agency for their handling of the incident, the council also added that the agency was "working to implement repair plans and to assess damage to the riverbank" following a number of breaches to the flood basin defence wall.

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