These preparations have been made in Calderdale as borough braces itself for Storm Dennis

The Council is continuing the clean up from Storm Ciara, after the period of intense rain and strong wind last weekend caused flooding in Calderdale.

Community hubs have been open all week and will remain open over the weekend and into next week as necessary.

Storm Dennis is expected to hit Calderdale this weekend, with an Amber weather warning in place for the borough. With the ground already saturated, rivers are due to respond quickly

The Leader of Calderdale Council, Councillor Tim Swift, said: “With the borough still in a period of recovery from Storm Ciara, the latest forecast warning of the impacts of upcoming Storm Dennis is not a welcome one.

“Council staff, partners, volunteers and community groups have worked tirelessly all week to assist with recovery, and I’d like to once again thank everyone for their tremendous efforts.

“We’re ensuring that we continue to have provisions in place throughout the weekend to deal with any issues as a result of the forecast storm. This includes extra resources to clear gullies to ensure they’re free of debris which has been left as a result of last week’s devastating flooding.

“Staff are on call 24/7 and in regular contact with the Met Office for weather forecasts so we can take appropriate action. We are also closely monitoring conditions and river levels and will be out for as long as needed.”

The Council, the Environment Agency, emergency services and other organisations are working hard to prepare before the storm hits, with measures, plans and extra resources in place.

For the Council this includes clearing gullies and trash screens in flood prone areas.

Teams are working 24 hours a day, with this resource continuing throughout the weekend.

Three gully sweeping units are patrolling during the day, with two units overnight, along with two vacuum units to remove excess water.

Efforts are currently being concentrated in flood prone areas and are being prioritised according to need.

Residents are asked to report any known gully issues at www.calderdale.gov.uk to ensure efforts are targeted and units are deployed in the most effective and efficient way possible.

During periods of intense heavy rain and flood events, gullies can become overwhelmed, as they’re not designed for flood water drainage. However, keeping them clear ensures that water can drain away quickly after the event, aiding recovery.

Incident rooms are also open in the borough and Council officers will be working around the clock to help keep people safe and to manage the current flood risk.

It is not possible to totally remove the risk of flooding which is why it is important that every home and business does everything possible to reduce its own risk.