Somerset, February 2014. Photo: Nick (Sarebi) Flickr

The effects of flooding in the South of England look as though they will be with us for some time to come as further rain is predicted by the Met Office for the coming weeks.

The immediate problems for the many farmers and householders still affected by so much standing water has prompted the Government to issue a Health Advisory.

Will food prices rise in the longer term is a subject for discussion as is what to do to prevent these catastrophic conditions affecting such a large swathe of our country again.

How to protect our homes, our farms, our businesses, when the inexorable power of water comes knocking at our doors will exercise minds greater than mine. We need expert advice from water engineers, civil engineers, builders and architects to ensure that flood plains are not developed without greater thought of flood proofing at the very least.

Our geologists and civil engineers need to consider coastal erosion to see how we can defend our shoreline; and they need to consider our roads and railways as we plan into the future with projects already proposed, to ensure safety against wind and water. All of these things affect our agricultural and food production industries at some stage.

For further information:
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/feb/11/englands-floods-everything-you-need-to-know
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-floods-2014-government-response