OVER AND DROUGHT!

SEVERN TRENT WATER LEVELS UP TO 86.8% AFTER WETTEST NOVEMBER IN 150 YEARS

- By REBECCA SPEARE-COLE

THE East Midlands has moved out of drought status as several of England’s regions recover their water levels following the recent surge in rainfall, officials said.

The national drought group, which includes the Met Office, regulators, government, water companies, and other organisations, convened on Monday after November saw 149 per cent of the long-term average rainfall.

The recent wet conditions come after the driest spring in 132 years, the hottest summer since records began and insufficient levels of rain to offset widespread droughts in September and October.

With eight of the 11 months this year seeing below average rainfall, many areas of the country were plunged into drought earlier this year.

While November's rainfall helped to kick-start drought recovery, it also brought flooding to many parts of the country.

The rain varied across different regions last month, with the East Midlands seeing 218 per cent of rain - the wettest since 1871.

The region have now moved out of drought status and into recovery after 21 weeks in drought.

The North West, which was the first to declare drought status in May, is now out of the recovery stage and back to normal, and the North East has moved from prolonged dry weather to drought recovery.