Just how bad could flash flooding get in London? According to Zurich Insurance Group, it seems the situation could be severe.
The insurer has released a study outlining that more than 126,000 commercial buildings in the capital would be at risk, with climate change heightening the ongoing threat.
The company mapped every commercial and mixed-use property across the capital against the areas most at risk of heavy rain – discovering that nearly half of all basements are under threat. It highlights that rain can overwhelm drainage systems and that the situation is often worse in cities than across rural areas as so much of a city is typically covered by concrete, which is non-absorbent.
The research comes after London was hit by multiple flash floods last year – with more than a dozen underground stations needing to close, and both hospitals and roads impacted.
The situation is only likely to get worse, David Nichols, Zurich UK’s chief claims officer told Bloomberg.
“Flash floods are one of the most serious climate threats facing the capital,” he said. “More frequent and severe rainstorms could be hugely disruptive for Londoners, businesses and the city’s economy. Extreme weather is the new normal, and businesses need to adapt.”
