Tweet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN2OJ...%20july%202007
Please excuse my rambling
In July 2007 Gloucestershire Suffered one of the worst natural disasters in living memory. Over 4 months of rain fell in less than twenty four hours in some parts, others escaped with 2-3 months worth. This was exascerbated by an already wet summer causing waterlogged ground, full flood defences and rivers at breaking point (there had already been floods in some parts two weeks hence).
The net result was on the Friday/Saturday night/morning, Gloucester was cut off, cheltenham was cut off, Tewksbury was cut off, as were most outlying villages and hamlets. When I say cut off, i mean there was no way of getting in/out other than by air. It was only by the afternoon that people on the ground realised there was something seriously wrong, when roads that have never flooded before became awash, then passable with care, then impassable. I was stationed at a rescue centre for families flooded out, or those trapped in the town because every single road out was closed, had got on duty at midday, and was releived at four in the morning.
Once dawn broke realisation set in that the waters were still rising, where the rain had fallen in the hills in the county and the welsh mountains, this had yet to reach the area. It was not known publicly at this time that the Mythe Water pumping station had been flooded and turned off, so it was not known that the taps would soon run dry. What was known was that the electricity sub statio nfor the county was at risk, the RAF, the Navy, the Army and Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue service work tirelessly to save walham substation from being fooded, the water came to within an inch and a half of breaching the defences. If the substation had flooded the entire county was to be evacuated.
A day or two later is was made public that the water in the pipes was running out, commence panic buying at all the local supermarkets. It was announced initially that 200X1000 liter Water bowsers were to supply the county with water . This was very quickely realised to be insufficient, it was upped to 500, then 1000, it finally topped out at 1500+ bowsers. In addition to this bottled water was being distributed for free at several key points in all major settlements in the county, I spent most of my duty days at this point either taking water to those who couldn't get it (one example, an elderly lady and her disabled daughter had got down to their last cupful) or directing traffic at the Distribution Points. The operation was so large that the army was drafted in to aid with distribution. The water was switched back on 9 days later, but was not fit for drinking, which took a further five days
Tewksbury Suffered the most damage, as it sits on a confluence of the Avon, and the Severn, both major rivers, the town was cut of for the best part of a week, there are villages around tewksbury that are still empty, they have essentially been wiped out, noone is able to live there at the moment. Family homes have been ruined, some houses have flooding up to the first floor, and the water sat there for a week befoer draining away. Having patrolled the area after the water receeded I was struck by the absoute devastation, not only to houses, but even down to the hedgerows, eight, ten foot hedges that had been completely submurged killed off. The stench of rotting vegetation was staggering, all the produce in fields destroyed. The recent rise in bread prices in the UK is partly down to these floods.
There were incredibly few deaths linked to the floods, tragically one teenager drowned on the night of the flooding, and a Father and Son were overcome by Carbon Monoxide whilst pumping out the rugby club cellar.
While I am painfully aware that there are people who are far worse off than myself, those who do not hve the luxury of tap water to lose, those who lose hundreds of lives in floods, the devastation and disruption caused by these floods has left a small but indelible mark on the counties psyche.
If you have managed to read the entire post, I thank you.
Stay Safe
Please excuse my rambling
In July 2007 Gloucestershire Suffered one of the worst natural disasters in living memory. Over 4 months of rain fell in less than twenty four hours in some parts, others escaped with 2-3 months worth. This was exascerbated by an already wet summer causing waterlogged ground, full flood defences and rivers at breaking point (there had already been floods in some parts two weeks hence).
The net result was on the Friday/Saturday night/morning, Gloucester was cut off, cheltenham was cut off, Tewksbury was cut off, as were most outlying villages and hamlets. When I say cut off, i mean there was no way of getting in/out other than by air. It was only by the afternoon that people on the ground realised there was something seriously wrong, when roads that have never flooded before became awash, then passable with care, then impassable. I was stationed at a rescue centre for families flooded out, or those trapped in the town because every single road out was closed, had got on duty at midday, and was releived at four in the morning.
Once dawn broke realisation set in that the waters were still rising, where the rain had fallen in the hills in the county and the welsh mountains, this had yet to reach the area. It was not known publicly at this time that the Mythe Water pumping station had been flooded and turned off, so it was not known that the taps would soon run dry. What was known was that the electricity sub statio nfor the county was at risk, the RAF, the Navy, the Army and Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue service work tirelessly to save walham substation from being fooded, the water came to within an inch and a half of breaching the defences. If the substation had flooded the entire county was to be evacuated.
A day or two later is was made public that the water in the pipes was running out, commence panic buying at all the local supermarkets. It was announced initially that 200X1000 liter Water bowsers were to supply the county with water . This was very quickely realised to be insufficient, it was upped to 500, then 1000, it finally topped out at 1500+ bowsers. In addition to this bottled water was being distributed for free at several key points in all major settlements in the county, I spent most of my duty days at this point either taking water to those who couldn't get it (one example, an elderly lady and her disabled daughter had got down to their last cupful) or directing traffic at the Distribution Points. The operation was so large that the army was drafted in to aid with distribution. The water was switched back on 9 days later, but was not fit for drinking, which took a further five days
Tewksbury Suffered the most damage, as it sits on a confluence of the Avon, and the Severn, both major rivers, the town was cut of for the best part of a week, there are villages around tewksbury that are still empty, they have essentially been wiped out, noone is able to live there at the moment. Family homes have been ruined, some houses have flooding up to the first floor, and the water sat there for a week befoer draining away. Having patrolled the area after the water receeded I was struck by the absoute devastation, not only to houses, but even down to the hedgerows, eight, ten foot hedges that had been completely submurged killed off. The stench of rotting vegetation was staggering, all the produce in fields destroyed. The recent rise in bread prices in the UK is partly down to these floods.
There were incredibly few deaths linked to the floods, tragically one teenager drowned on the night of the flooding, and a Father and Son were overcome by Carbon Monoxide whilst pumping out the rugby club cellar.
While I am painfully aware that there are people who are far worse off than myself, those who do not hve the luxury of tap water to lose, those who lose hundreds of lives in floods, the devastation and disruption caused by these floods has left a small but indelible mark on the counties psyche.
If you have managed to read the entire post, I thank you.
Stay Safe
Comment