On behalf of Somerset County Council and the Environment Agency

Somerset County Council has taken action to close the A361 across the Somerset Levels this morning, Friday 13 January, following warnings from the Environment Agency (EA) and rising water levels.

Road users are being urged to plan ahead and use an alternative route this morning. The emergency road closure gates at Burrowbridge and East Lyng are now closed. 

Last night the EA confirmed Currymoor, one of the largest flood storage reservoirs on the Somerset Levels and Moor was full. Overnight inspections confirmed a further significant increase in floodwaters at Currymoor and the rest area on the A361 became flooded.

Further flooding is expected. The flood gates have been closed to keep people safe.

It is the second time the A361 has been closed this week and follows the latest information from the EA. Excess water continuing to flow down a spillway into the next storage reservoirs at Northmoor and Saltmoor, which are currently empty. However, this creates a flood risk to the A361, with a high chance of water getting onto the road.

A flood warning remains in place for Currymoor and Haymoor.

Following 2014, emergency road closure gates were installed at eight locations, including between Burrowbridge and East Lyng on the A361, to prevent vehicles getting stuck in flood waters. 

The Environment Agency is monitoring the situation and using all available opportunities to reduce the water level of Currymoor. In the meantime, it urges motorists not to drive through flood water. Just 30cm of moving water is enough to float a car, and by driving through flood water, drivers open themselves up to the risk of being swept away and having to be rescued or getting stranded after their car engine takes in water and stops.   

You can check if emergency road closure gates are open or closed at https://www.travelsomerset.co.uk/roadclosuregates and get travel updates from @TravelSomerset. 

Check your flood risk at https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk.