26/11/2012

Floods ravage the UK - 273 alerts, failed £1m pumps and two dead

There are some big events coming up this week; local elections in places, the findings of the Leveson Inquiry, the launch of Fecktv.com to name but a few. But for those suffering from some of the worst UK floods on record, more pressing matters are at hand.

[caption id="attachment_6334" align="aligncenter" width="646"]Stone Henge submerged in water UK floods 2012 Stone Henge submerged in water UK floods 2012
credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net; duron123[/caption]

The south of the country has been deluged by rain, with many counties still on high alert as there's much more to come. The Environment Agency has posted workers to man the £1m pumps in Kempsey, designed to protect from flooding.

After they failed, no chances are being taken in light of the 273 UK flood warning alerts still posted around the UK.

UK floods likely to worsen as more rain en route


It's a far cry from the drought earlier in the year. What is seemingly becoming an annual event, especially in the lower wetlands between the Midlands and the West Country, has claimed two lives already.

On Saturday night, a pensioner near Earith, CAMBS, failed to respond to CPR after crashing his car into the River Nene. Hours later in Exeter, a woman was killed by a falling tree.

Devon and Cornwall have taken a battering, too. Literally hundreds of homes are awash this morning (Sunday), prompting David Cameron to tweet,

"shocking scenes of flooding in Cornwall and around the country."

Yep, thanks for those words of comfort, Mr Cameron. That helps.

Check your local media for regional flood alerts


Whilst the Prime Minister's twittering did assure us that everything possible is being done to help, there are 220 further UK flood warnings in place over and above the 273 on high alert. It's impossible to tell where's going to be affected next by local flash flooding.

The forecast from the BBC doesn't bode well. For many parts of the UK, floods are going to be a feature of the next few days. There will be a temporary respite in the South, but nowhere near long enough for the saturated ground to dry our before the next torrents grace us.

Expect a wet week to see November out. It will be worth checking local information for travel updates, particularly in regions prone to flooding. Road and rail networks are likely to be severely affected over the coming days.

If it's too wet to travel to work, stick with us in the run-up to the launch of FeckTV.com. We guarantee that there won't be a dry eye left in the house once we launch, irrespective of how damp things get outside. Turn on, tune in, rinse out.

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