UK households warned 'turn off gas, water, and electricity supply'

A flood plan can help you to prepare for flooding and reduce the impact it might have to your home, business or community, it can also help with the recovery process.

Amid heavy rainfall across Birmingham and the West Midlands, the Met Office has issued crucial advice for staying safe in a flood. A flood plan can help you to prepare for flooding and reduce the impact it might have to your home, business or community, it can also help with the recovery process.

An area of heavy rain is expected to affect central and southern England during Monday, becoming slow-moving somewhere across the warning area for several hours. It will then weaken and move away eastwards later Monday evening and overnight. Not all counties within the warning area will be equally affected, but it seems likely that some areas will see 60-80 mm and a few places may receive 120mm or more. Travel disruption and some flooding is likely.

The Met Office says on its website: "Think about putting together an emergency flood kit with essential items that will help you cope in a flood, including insurance documents and list of contact number, a torch & spare batteries, first aid kit and any prescription medicines, warm waterproof clothes and blankets and bottled water and snacks."

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Battery or wind-up radios and supplies for looking after your baby or pet are also crucial. "Make sure that everyone knows where to find this kit and what to do if flooding happens," the Met Office has gone on to advise on its website.

It adds: "Check the flood advice in your area to know when and where flooding will happen. Charge mobile phone devices. Park your car outside the flood zone. Prepare a flood kit to help you cope in the event of flooding to your home and business.

"Store valuables up high, including electrical devices, important documents and furniture. Turn off gas water and electricity supplies. If you are trapped in a building by floodwater, follow these simple instructions to keep you and your family safe: go to the highest level in the building you are in, do not go into attic spaces to avoid being trapped by rising water, only go to a roof if necessary and call 999 and wait for help."