Here are the areas in Sweden with significant flood risk

MSB’s identification of areas with a significant flood risk during heavy rainfall is part of Sweden’s work to implement the EU’s flood directive. Something that happens every six years.

The review is carried out in areas along the country’s coast as well as larger waterways and lakes. This is to, among other things, work to reduce damage to the environment, property and people.

Now the latest list has been released. 26 areas are on the list with a significant risk of flooding. Eleven areas are particularly vulnerable and five areas have been added.

Eleven areas are particularly vulnerable

In the press release from MSB, it appears that eleven areas in the country are exposed to significant flood risk from more than one type of flood.

In five of the areas, significant consequences can also occur in the event of flooding from torrential rain as well as nearby waterways and the coast.

– What is new in this review is that MSB also looked at the risk of flooding from torrential rain. Last time there were only risk areas by lakes, waterways and the sea. Five new areas have been added, mainly due to updated data for watercourse and coastal flooding, but also because MSB now expects risks linked to torrential rain, says Maja Coghlan, administrator at MSB, in a press release.

Here are the five new areas on the list

At the same time, four areas have been removed. Kungsbacka is an example of an area that no longer qualifies due to new data and a new selection process.

– Even if an area has been removed, or is not identified with a significant flood risk, floods can still occur there and there can still be a known flooding problem, says Maja Coghlan.

Gävle, which previously suffered from significant flooding, is one of the areas that have been added. MSB has identified that there is a risk of flooding from both torrential rain, the sea and waterways.

Businesses that are important to society can be affected

Many people live in the areas that have been identified by MSB, which also underlines that many important businesses can be affected if there are floods.

Just over half a million people live in the 26 flood-prone areas, MSB writes in the press release.

– Floods occur regularly in Sweden and with the climate changes that we seem to be facing, these can be expected to occur with increased frequency. This shows how important it is to work with flood risks to reduce both existing risk levels and adapt society to current, and with climate change, future flood risks, says Maja Coghlan.