Accusations that East Yorkshire villages were allowed to flood to save Leeds have been denied by the Environment Agency.
A total of 88 homes have flooded and many more were evacuated in the region which was hit after the River Aire burst its banks on Tuesday.
Emergency services as well as East Riding Council and the Environment Agency worked tirelessly in Snaith, Gowdall, East Cowick and West Cowick to try to limit the flood's impact.
But some residents suggested defences protecting Leeds from flooding may have allowed high levels of water to move towards the East Yorkshire villages and towns like East Cowick and Snaith, reports Hull Live.
The Enviornment Agency has strongly refuted this, saying: “Weirs operated by Leeds City Council for the city’s flood defence DO NOT increase flood-risk towards East Yorkshire.”
Leeds was badly hit by floods in 2015 and in the aftermath of Storm Eva in December the Leeds Alleviation Scheme was launched to reduce the risk of flooding in the city.
Moveable weirs along the River Aire which help to reduce river levels and the threat of flooding were constructed.
As water levels rose last week due to recent storms the city’s flood defences were put into action causing river levels to drop and limiting the risk of flooding.
However, residents raised concerns that this may have caused the rising water levels to be pushed further along the River Aire causing its banks to burst in East Yorkshire.
