Effects
There was degradation in the road and rail infrastructure. Hospitals were evacuated because of the risk of disease and illness. Bridges across rivers were opened
and closed erratically as the water level fluctuated. Homeowners hit by floods saw premiums rise by up to 60%, as brokers tried to claw back the costs of claims topping £200m. The Insurance companies were contemplating refusing insurance to those homes repeatedly hit by flood plains. The floods led to the highest ever number of severe flood warnings put in place after the number of weather related deaths in the period of flooding reached 12. More than 300 flood warnings with
thousands of fallen trees and stranded motorists. Commuters were also impacted heavily, on the roads and motorways, which were closed by flash flooding. In the capital, the 450ft London Eye wheel was forced to close after the storm damaged six of its 32-gass viewing capsules.
Only 20 per cent of rail services operated. Lines were blocked by trees and power cables or affected by flooding as well as the London underground, which were disrupted. At one point there were almost no services running from London’s mainline terminals. Parts of the M25 and M23 motorways were closed and there was flooding on the M4. Six cross-Channel ferries caring 6,000 passengers were stranded as sea for 20 hours because it was too dangerous for tem to dock in over. Heathrow and Gatwick were severely
affected with many flights cancelled due to high winds. Incoming aircraft had to be diverted to other airports, which were in operation.
Responses
The Environment Agency played a large part in issuing flood warnings and advising people to leave their homes. This limited the number of deaths to in the region of 15 people. Without this quick response the number would have been far higher. Emergency teams and local authorities were very much involved in the efforts against the floods. An example of the local governments commitment to the flood effort
was seen in West Shropshire, which was hit by 98 floods that cost the local authority £450,000 for one weekends damage. Police and council staff were drafted in to erect barriers on several routes into the towns and cities where the situation was not likely to improve for at least 24 hours. The devastation led to a visit from Tony Blair to emergency services staff in Shrewsbury in Shropshire, Bewdley in Worcestershire and York, areas most affected by the
floodwater. The Prime minister admitted that more needed to be done to bolster flood defences. He said: 2Thousands of people up and down the country have been amazingly stoical in these circumstances… In the longer term, we have to try to work to deal with these problems on not just a national level but on an international level .We have to put in the right protection for people against the possibility of floods and work to deal with the issue of climat5e change.”
