Flooding in Calderdale: Warning sirens to sound in Calder Valley as areas prepare for flooding

Sirens will be sounded between 11am and 11.15am on Thursday, September 28, in Walsden, Todmorden, Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd.

If the Environment Agency is in incident mode or poor weather is forecast on the day the test will be postponed until Thursday, October 12.

Each siren test will last for two minutes – residents and businesses do not need to take any action when hearing the sirens at these times.

Loud hailer vehicles will be used to alert people ahead of the sirens being sounded, said Graham Lindsey, flood resilience team leader at the Environment Agency.

“The testing of the sirens is part of our work with partners to ensure that we are fully prepared to take action this winter wherever it is needed.

“It is important that we test the audibility of sirens to check that they can be heard as widely as possible.

“The sirens provide a useful way of quickly alerting the communities at risk in the upper valley, an area where we know that flooding can occur extremely quickly.

“Although no action needs to be taken during the test, if you hear the sirens at any other time, please be aware that this means that flooding is expected from the local rivers,” he said.

People are urged to sign up for warnings (visit https://www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings or phone Floodline on 0345 988 1188) and to use the Eye On Calderdale website.