Isle of Man: New Year flood warning issued for coastal residents
People living in coastal areas of the Isle of Man are being warned by the government to prepare for possible flooding in the New Year.
Infrastructure bosses said a combination of high tides and strong winds could cause disruption to those living in exposed coastal locations. High tides are forecast for 22, 23 and 24 January and 20 and 21 February 2015. Infrastructure minister Phil Gawne said homeowners should "remain vigilant" in coming months. In particular those living in the seafront areas of Douglas, Castletown, Ramsey, Laxey and Port St Mary are being warned to "be prepared." The Department of Infrastructure said it would deploy about 20,000 sandbags to mitigate the risk of flooding. Mr Gawne said: "We will do whatever we can to provide assistance but people should take steps to protect their properties." Sandbags can be collected free of charge from local amenity sites across the Isle of Man. This year several areas including Douglas, Castletown, Ramsey, Laxey, Peel and Gansey experienced tidal flooding in January and February.