The Jorvik viking centre in York could be closed for up to a year after severe flooding in the UK submerged the popular attraction in half-a-metre of water.

The heritage attraction, located in the basement below York’s Coppergate Shopping Centre, was hit hard by record rainfall from Storm Eva, which overwhelmed flood defences in the region on 26 December.

“When we first became aware of water leaking into the basement, we immediately transported all of the historic artefacts within Jorvik up to the first floor, and they have now been moved off-site to a safe location,” said Sarah Maltby, director of attractions for the York Archaeological Trust (YTA) which owns the centre.

“However, around half of the attraction is currently submerged, with water under the raised floor upon which the remainder sits. We are devastated by the scale of the water incursion in what, until now had been a watertight basement.”

The YTA says it is already implementing plans to get the water pumped out and repairs completed as soon as possible, though costs for repairs are likely to run into millions of pounds. Maltby added that depending on damage, repairs could take anywhere from a few months to up to a year, with an assessment not possible until the water is cleared.

The facility first opened in 1984 and has since welcomed more than 20 million visitors. In 2001, the centre was fully refurbished and expanded at a cost of £5m (US$7.4m, €6.7m), with a further £1m (US$1.5m, €1.4m) investment in February 2010.

The other attractions owned and managed by the Jorvik Group in York remain open to the public, with plans still underway for the 32nd Viking Festival in February. The centre will remain closed until further notice.