The A361 in Somerset, which had just reopened after a three-week closure due to flooding, was forced to shut again after heavy rainfall. The region has been grappling with persistent high water levels and saturated ground, leading to a major incident being declared on January 27, following the impact of Storm Chandra.
Although Somerset Council recently downgraded the situation from a major incident to recovery, severe weather continues to disrupt this vital route. The road initially reopened on Thursday, February 19, as conditions briefly improved and inspections deemed it safe. However, continual rain triggered new flooding by Friday, resulting in another closure.
Somerset Council explained that rising groundwater levels in a nearby spillway caused the renewed flooding. This condition is expected to persist for several weeks. Councillor Richard Wilkins, Lead Member for Transport and Waste Services, emphasized the road’s importance: “We always aim to keep the road open whenever possible, even if it means brief closures for safety during a wet winter.”
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Wilkins urged the public to respect road closures for their own safety and highlighted the installation of an emergency closure gate at the affected location. He explained that fluctuating water levels will continue until a prolonged dry period arrives, at which point the council hopes to reopen the A361 promptly.
The council spokesperson cautioned drivers against ignoring road closure signs or attempting to drive through floodwaters. As of Saturday morning, traffic monitoring service Inrix confirms the A361 remains closed.
Meanwhile, agencies involved in the response have issued a final multi-agency update as the major incident enters the recovery phase. The Environment Agency reports river levels are beginning to fall, though five flood warnings and eight flood alerts remain active.
Efforts to control flooding continue, with additional pumps deployed across 19 vulnerable points on the Somerset Levels and Moors. Despite recent rainfall — between 10mm and 28mm on Wednesday — peak river flows have now passed downstream. Authorities warn that saturated catchments remain sensitive, and further rain could cause more flooding.
Pumping operations near Burrowbridge and surrounding areas are currently paused due to high river levels but will resume once conditions improve. Somerset Council and partner agencies remain vigilant, prioritizing public safety while working to manage the challenging flood situation.