Wigan emergency response teams support residents during Storm Christoph

With weather-related alerts and warnings in place covering a majority of the borough, officers from Wigan Council, Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service and health services worked together to respond to hundreds of calls and mitigated dozens of flooding incidents.

The borough’s community spirit has also been on display with neighbours helping each other out and offering assistance.

Although the worst of the heavy rain is forecast to have gone, council leaders are urging residents to remain vigilant with sub-zero temperatures expected into the weekend.

Councillor Kevin Anderson, cabinet member for civil contingencies, said: “Our officers ensure they are as prepared as they can be for emergency scenarios and we are extremely appreciative of how they can react to a fast-moving situation.

“Support has come in many different forms with teams from different departments of the council – along with our emergency service colleagues - providing a 24-hour service to help keep residents safe.”

Wigan Council’s response in numbers:

234 calls to Wigan’s central watch team

90 calls to dedicated flood line, plus 39+ via other lines

33 council staff deployed to support response

10 temporary road closures introduced

2 road diversions

40 updates on social media

2,223 vulnerable families identified in flood risk areas

Residents who remain concerned about flooding in their area are advised to use the 01942 489018 hotline.

Wigan Council will also offer a free bulky-collection service for households affected by significant flooding.

Residents are advised to contact their insurance companies in the first instance, but they will then be offered collections for furniture, carpets or appliances that are no longer usable.

Leader of Wigan Council, Councillor David Molyneux, said: “It has been an extremely busy few days for our officers who once again have gone above and beyond to provide this level of support.

“This has all been done against a backdrop of our organisation – like the rest of the public sector – continuing to prioritise frontline services during the pandemic.”

Given the amount of rainfall the borough has seen this week, and with freezing temperatures forecast over the next few days, residents are advised to remain vigilant, particularly on the road network.

The response to Storm Christoph was downgraded from a major incident by Greater Manchester authorities on Thursday.

For flooding advice, visit www.wigan.gov.uk/floodingThanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 for your first month. Try us today by clicking here and viewing our offers ...