Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

Cornwall at 09/12/2025 10:09

Cornwall Fire & Rescue Services has attended several incidents today where the public have driven into floodwater.

Please remember the following when out in your vehicle today:

Vehicles in floodwater
Every year people lose their lives when their vehicles enter the water, some of those occur during periods of flooding when water encroaches on to normally well drained carriageways or when normally benign river crossings (fords) become raging torrents.

Avoid driving through floodwater and never attempt to cross if you don’t know how deep the water is, less than 60cm of standing water will float many cars.

Do not try to cross fast moving water at flooded fords, overtopped bridges or flooded roads only 30cm of flowing water could move a car off a road.

Even if the water level is not excessive the road beneath could be damaged or the hard-core below the tarmac may have been washed away by the scouring action of the water, causing the road to collapse when the weight of a vehicle passes over it.

Take particular care at night when it might be difficult to see patches of standing water or flooded roads.

Do not ignore road closed signs they are there for a reason. If you come across impassable roads or have to abandon your car inform the Police.

Don’t assume fords are safe to cross just because the road is not closed, always look at the river level gauge and use your common sense

Related item: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/fire-and-rescue-service/keeping-safe/water-safety/beware-of-the-dangers-water-safety-advice/