Families and households across the UK will be worried about flooding as Storm Eunice continues to batter the country.
Two red "danger to life" weather warnings were issued by the Met Office for South West and East England, including London, while there are currently 10 severe flood warnings with a danger to life in place.
Some 36 flood warnings where flooding is expected have also been flagged, alongside 101 where flooding is possible.
People can see a full rundown of what UK locations the warnings relate to, including various points on the Severn Estuary, here.
With such strong warnings now in place, there will be plenty of people wary of water breaching their homes.
Floods and bad weather have had some nasty consequences for unlucky Brits in recent years - many will remember Storms Eva and Desmond bringing widespread flooding in the north of England in December 2015.
There are a number of ways in which people in vulnerable areas can protect their homes from floods.
How do I prepare my home for a flood?
People should know exactly what to do if certain situations occur during flooding, such as power outages.
Experts at Utility Bidder have revealed what you can do if you lose power after a spell of bad weather.
What should I do during a power outage?
Call 105 to get information on power cuts in your area and check if your street lights are on. Major power outages could cause them to be turned off and this is an obvious sign of no power in your postcode.
You should also check your fuse box to make absolutely sure it is not just one of your trip switches and have a look at your meter to see if your payments are up to date.
Power outages don't usually last that long, but you could be entitled to compensation if it lasts for 24 hours.
Utility Bidder said: "For storms and bad weather if your power is off for more than 24 hours, you will be entitled to £70 compensation. For storms of more than 48 hours, you’ll get an additional £70 for every 12 hours you don’t have electricity, up to a cap of £700."
Meanwhile, turn off as many plugs as you can safely as electricity can run in surges when being fixed, which can damage your appliances. Put your phone on to low power mode and limit your use of it until power is back.
Keep an eye on your frozen food - if something defrosts it may not be safe to refreeze. As a rule, food in the freezer will keep for 15 to 24 hours if you can avoid opening it. For the fridge, it’s around four to six hours. If your food smells off, bin it.
If you rely on anything medically that needs battery power, speak to your GP about a potential back-up plan. You can also join the Priority service register which will let your supplier know about your medical needs in the event of a power cut.
What kit do I need to prepare for a power outage?
Torches are safer than candles during an outage, while extra batteries from them and any medical equipment is also important to keep ready for use.
In colder weather, blankets are a must, as are as non-perishable food, medical supplies and water.
How do I stop my home from flooding?
Stopping your home from flooding is extremely important and the first thing you should do is check if you are at risk in any way.
People who live in England can visit the government website here and type in their postcode to see if they are at risk from flooding.
It should be noted that this is described as a long-term risk of flooding, but those at high risk should be prepared when high levels of rain are due to fall, such as before incoming storms.
You can make your home more resilient to flooding, but you won't necessarily be able to keep back the tide for long if flooding is particularly bad.
Installing tiles rather than carpet, buying plastic covers to seal airbricks and propping up sandbags against entry points should do the trick for minor flooding.
In a useful guide, the Met Office said : "Think about making your property resilient to flooding. To reduce flood damage, you could lay tiles instead of carpets, move electrical sockets up the wall and fit non-return valves.
"If you know you live in an area at risk of flooding, you could consider installing some flood protection products."
What do I do if my home floods?
If you live close to a local river and you know there is a risk it could burst its banks and flood locally, there are a few things you can do to prepare:
- Turn off and unplug large appliances - the dishwasher, washing machine and any TVs.
Move portable appliances like microwaves and gaming consoles to a higher position. If you can see water is about to enter your property, turn off your electricity at the fuse box if it is safe to do so.
Never assume that if you enter a flooded property, the electricity is off - don’t touch any appliances as you could be at risk of getting electrocuted.
If your home does get flooded, keep away from all electrical equipment and call your supplier’s emergency number. Your internal wiring will need to be checked by a qualified electrician before you can turn it back on.
