Britain maps flood risk to roads and rail

Britain's Ordnance Survey is using detailed mapping data to help authorities track and respond to climate risks, including flooding, wildfire, subsidence and coastal erosion.

Tom Gray, a utilities and transport expert at the national mapping agency, said flooding is Britain's biggest climate threat. He said 12% of the UK's strategic road network and 20% of its rail network are in the highest risk zone for flooding.

The agency maintains the National Geographic Database, which Gray said includes more than 600 million features and is updated 30,000 times a day. Its maps can help emergency services identify flood hotspots and work out how to reach affected properties, he said.

Helen Jones, one of the agency's drone pilots, said drone footage was used after coastal erosion on the Isle of Wight so emergency services and councils could assess whether utilities might need to be cut off and whether people might have to be evacuated.

The Ordnance Survey also maps new housing developments so emergency services know where people and access points are during climate emergencies such as fires or floods. Jones said she had seen the impact of this year's drought, after England and Wales recorded their driest July on record, according to the Met Office.