Our future under water: Terrifying new pictures reveal how Britain's cities could be devastated by flood water

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 5:18 PM on 7th March 2011

These dramatic images show how floods could devastate major cities across Britain leaving thousands of homes underwater if no flood defences were put in place.

The centres of London, Birmingham, Cardiff and Liverpool would be completely submerged with properties wrecked and businesses shutdown in the event of major flooding.

Extraordinary photographs of the devastation flooding could cause were released by the Environment Agency today to warn of the dangers of natural disasters.

Water disaster: Images shows how flooding could hit east London in a dramatic image released by the Environment Agency. Landmarks hit by flooding would include the O2 arena, the base of One Canada Square, the Canary Wharf tower, and Tower Bridge

Major rehearsals for a possible disaster are to begin involving 10,000 people as Government tests how they, the emergency services and communities will respond.

£1.8million is being spent on the test exercises which will involve ten government departments and utility companies in what ministers say is the 'largest civil defence exercise ever' in Britain.

Over the next week Exercise Watermark will test how agencies deal with flash flooding, overflowing rivers, a reservoir threatening to burst and even a North Sea tidal surge in different parts of the country.

The 'dry runs' were recommended by Sir Michael Pitt when he carried out an official review into flooding in 2007 which hit parts of Yorkshire, the Midlands and the West Country.

Ministers will take part in mock emergency Cobra meetings and 'local resilience forums', which include police, fire and rescue services, local authorities and public bodies, will test their response to a potential disaster.

Five water companies and nearly all electricity providers will also be checking they are prepared for flooding.

In Lincolnshire, Sutton on Sea residents and pupils at a primary school will be evacuated while at Tattershall Country Park people will be rescued from roof tops, submerged vehicles and caravans using boats and helicopters.

Underwater: Projected flooding picture shows the centre of Manchester almost completely underwater

Wales underwater: Environment Agency image of where flooding could strike in Cardiff if there were no flood defences

Even Prince William could be involved as RAF helicopters are used as part of planned live water rescues which include saving people from the top of a submerged bus, at Bala Lake, in Wales.

Environment Minister Richard Benyon said: 'More extreme weather and rising sea levels mean we have to be prepared to deal with the impact of a major flood.

'Exercise Watermark will be Britain's biggest ever emergency exercise and provide a unique opportunity for us to test our responses.'

Mr Benyon insisted the exercise was not taking funding away from flood defences, which suffered cuts under the spending review, as the money came from a separate protected pot for emergency planning.

And he said the flood budget had been protected 'way in excess' of other areas of funding as it was a priority of Government.

He said ministers had ambitions to protect an extra 145,000 homes from flooding over the next four to five years. Small measures such as raising curbs or putting in low walls could protect households from surface water flooding which caused much of the damage in 2007.

Surface water maps which estimate where water would collect in the event of flash flooding are being developed across the country.

Liverpool: River is a potential flood risk - although the city will not be as badly affected as the likes of London or Cardiff

Parts of Nottingham city centre underwater after the river bursts its banks

The Environment Minister also announced more than £800,000 in grants to emergency services, charities and other groups to buy flood rescue equipment and training, as part of a £2million fund to improve the response to floods across England and Wales.

The grants include boats and equipment for fire and rescue services and St John Ambulance and equipment and training for the RSPCA.

Environment Agency chairman Lord Chris Smith said: 'Exercise Watermark will test the plans that Government, the Environment Agency, local authorities and communities have put in place since the devastating floods of 2007. It will help protect lives and homes against future floods.'

He added: 'One in six properties in England and Wales is at risk from flooding. I urge everyone in that position to sign up to receive free Environment Agency flood warnings.'