Flooding in Hastings town centre could be due to blocked surface water drain, Southern Water says

The flooding, which led to the evacuation of Priory Meadow Shopping Centre for the second time this year, has continued throughout the day (October 28), leading to widespread disruption, and a major response from East Sussex Fire and Rescue.

A Southern Water spokesperson said the town centre flooding is unrelated to the flooding of their own wastewater centre in nearby Coombs, but added “We're working closely with Hastings Borough Council and the Environment Agency to investigate and limit the impact of the flooding and any impact to our customers.

“We’ll continue to post updates here as the situation develops. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to get in touch should you have any questions or concerns: 0330 303 0368.”

The flooding of the Coombs wastewater site, which comes after considerably heavy rain, led to a release via the local storm overflow. Teams should be working hard to mitigate the impact over the weekend, however. The company spokesperson explained: “Over the weekend our teams will be on site checking for any debris and carrying out litter picks on the beach, if necessary. Our teams will also be taking water quality samples to assess any environmental impact.”

In the meantime, East Sussex Fire and Rescue teams remain onsite in Hastings, and members of the public have been urged to steer clear of the floodwater itself; both on foot and in vehicles.