Severn Trent has issued new advice to customers as Storm Eowyn is set to bring strong winds and some heavy rain across the region.

The Met Office has weather warnings in place for much of the country on Friday and Saturday, with reports of 70mph gusts in some areas.

The majority of the Severn Trent region has yellow warnings in place for wind and rain tomorrow but coastal areas, including parts of Wales, are expected to be in amber and be worst hit.

The stormy weather – which may bring snow to higher grounds - is expected to continue on Saturday, before calming by Sunday. Eowyn is the fifth named storm of the season.

In the past, strong winds have caused travel disruption, structural damage to buildings, uprooted trees and even caused power cuts.

Severn Trent has now issued advice to customers about who to call if affected by flooding and said its teams are ready to manage any storm-related incident.

Scott Ludford, from Severn Trent’s Network Control team, said: “We are expecting some heavy rain and very strong winds across the region from Friday into Saturday.

“We can reassure customers all our teams are prepared to manage any storm-related incidents.

“Storm Eowyn will see heavy rain, but it should be less than seen in Storm Darragh in December.  But we know how distressing any form of flooding can be, so we are issuing advice again so people know who to contact if the worse happens.”

Flooding advice: Who customers should contact;

• For flooding on roads, small rivers and streams. You should contact your local council to report flooding on roads or blocked drains or grates on highways. They will also help you with groundwater surface flooding, as well as flooding in streams, brooks and small rivers. 
• For major river flooding. The Environment Agency will be able to help you if you are at risk of flooding due to rising river levels. You can find more information and contact details on their website. Their Flood line number is 0345 988 1188.  
• For sewer flooding or flooding due to burst pipes. If the flooding is coming from the public sewer you will need to contact us. If the flooding is due to heavy rain, we may need to wait for the flood water to subside before we can investigate. You should also contact your insurer so they can give you help and advice. 

Other steps people can take to help keep their home flood-free during stormy conditions include: 

• Empty any water butts in the garden before the rain starts, this will help reduce the rainwater flow into the drains when a storm arrives. 
• Check that your home and garden drains are free-flowing – clear out any leaves or other waste so rainwater can more easily flow away. 
• Have a look at the roadside drains around your house and clear any leaves or debris that you can – or get in touch with your local council if blocked.