Flooding, anyone affected?

[dikkie]

Living on a hill I've managed to avoid the worst of it, although I did have to do some emergency repairs to the garage roof in between the hail showers on Sunday.

Anyone else been badly hit by the weather?

[benchmark51]

I think  all the 'kit nuts' are affected by this weather. All itching to go but not able to.  . I'm lucky as far as flooding is concerned, all I have to suffer is a daily trudge in the mud when taking the dog over to the woods.
I think some numpty has pulled the plug out of Britain and we're slowly sinking and Somerset is becoming a marina or maybe a Venice, but don't worry because 'lessons will be learnt' and we'll get yet more 'pledges'.

['The Gaffer']

My heart goes out to those who have effectively lost their homes to this flooding. Especially those who have just over things together since the last time.

Luckily, the only thing we have have suffered during the storms is to have to rescue our recycling bins from next doors garden.

[Moleman]

My back lane does look like a canel at times but I can't complain up to those poor guys that are flooded.    I agree with benchmark51 when he says alot of us are iching to go out in our cars but this weather just wont let up. 

[paintman]

I tried to come back from Cornwall via the Somerset Levels just after Xmas and most of the roads were impassable even then.

Stopped the car for a gander and was shocked to find the 5 foot wall I looked over was holding back many acres of flood water and it was nearly up to the top of it......didn't hang around !!!!!

[Krazyken]

Disaster for all those affected not helped by idiots in power deciding not to dredge rivers any more.  Travelled down the M5 today and the area around Tewkesbury that floods every year is worse than ever. 

Not been out in the MGF at all this year even with a hood, heater and music.

[YellaBelly]

I tried to come back from Cornwall via the Somerset Levels just after Xmas and most of the roads were impassable even then.

We've got to take some stuff down next Monday, we travel M5, A30 then around the top of Dartmoor. Let's hope it hasn't reached the M5 by then!!

[chrislandy]

Travelled down the M5 today and the area around Tewkesbury that floods every year is worse than ever. 

Note quite as bad as 7odd years ago but it's close,

This is the bottom of Bredon village on Sunday (The village on the left as you go south over the Avon bridge just before the Tewkesbury Junction)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ca63rrzwc130xoy/2014-02-09%2014.43.56.jpg
Around the Tewkesbury Bypass
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lmtmmjktjnvgko3/2014-02-10%2008.58.17.jpg

This was down in Romsey, near Southampton when the river test broke it's banks on Saturday afternoon
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rwfjb0mn2o32oir/2014-02-08%2017.25.18.jpg

I did try to display in post but it won't from dropbox for some reason?

Disaster for all those affected not helped by idiots in power deciding not to dredge rivers any more.

It's not just the dredging, it's been the most rain in 400+ years aparently which is not something that the EA model, 100 years normally. If the dredging had taken place, it just wouldn't have been as bad but only moderately not as bad. dredging is something that has been picked up on the media and pushed as a main cause politically. I'm sure that other flood defence, environmental works (eels gates, otter runs etc) and pure bad luck are all factors to name but a few.

One big problem is for any major flood defence project is funding, if they asked to spend £50m on flood defences "just in case, it's not happened yet... but it might" most people during a recession would say no (tbh even when times were good they would likely have said no), spend it somewhere else. Now on the other hand, they may find the cash to do it

['The Gaffer']

I did try to display in post but it won't from dropbox for some reason?

I don't think post image likes https urls.

[YellaBelly]

What makes me laugh is that in one breath the PM says "money is no object", then someone else starts quoting how much they are going to make available for homeowners, farmers etc. If 'money is no object' then surely there is no upper limit on each of the areas they will pay for? Wish they would make their minds up 

[fullpint]

I must say we are very lucky living up here in Rudloe. Wind is our main issue. Its comes up thru the valley. I feel for those living in the low-land.

['The Gaffer']

I thought our roof was going to blow off this afternoon

[Hairy Santa]

well the somerset levels have been under water for months now, now the thames valley has started flooding --- suddenly the gov thinks its serious

but we will learn lessons  - -yet again

[benchmark51]

Well the PM would say 'money no object' , it's not his money. The real reason
behind this will, if successful, only make him look good.
It is our money he'll be spending and when the Insurance companies start paying out
guess who will be paying again through increased premiums. Of course the gov' will
benefit from extra taxes on the rises. Still at least the council tax isn't payable for homes underwater
untill they decide they need to make up the shortfall.

[Iancider]

Chris,

I was impressed wth the photos - a tragic scene but rather pretty photos.  And the third one, Romsey Aquatic Centre really was not exaggerating!

What is also concerning now is the underground water.  Water is now oozing out of the ground as well as overflowing river banks - that destroys foundations for properties and roads.  It is also likely that a lot of trees will fall in the high winds because their roots are in soft mud.  Winter should now be called the Rainy season.

For those that are interested, the Sun is at its 350 year output maximum and at the last maximum history records weather like this.  150 years before that was the solar minimum when the Thames froze so thick that you could light a bonfire on it.  I'm prepared to bet £1million that this will happen again in 350 years! 

[Pilgrim Anna]

We have been very lucky. It does help living on a hill . Looking forward to a few car events in the summer. So tired of this weather.

[Moleman]

This weather better change soon. 

It looks like London has got it bad now as well!

['The Gaffer']

Shouldn't laugh. But that is funny.

[garry h]

If we get much more down here I think we will sink  We've had a few roads colapse, pot holes,or should I say creaters everywhere so much for our multi million pound road resurfacing programe  Agree with the comments about being frustrated not being able to get Betsy out ROLL ON THE SUMMER 

[benchmark51]

One is not amused

[Iancider]

Garryh is spot on the road damage.  I reported a dangerous hole in the road to the police last week - it big enough to take a motorcyclist off - rubble all around it.  An emergency crew filled it with chppings inside and hour and then the following day they patched it with tarmac.  Today it was a gaping hole again.

[YellaBelly]

Living on a hill has it's advantages......and disadvantages:










The last picture shows how far the tree has buried itself into the ground, about 8-10" at least, that's some serious weight!

Just glad none of us or the dogs were out there when it went

[YZFMINI]

When was this??
As the date stamp says 2009!

Ithere way not good. My new fence posts and pannels are still standing.
When this rain stops and the  ground has dried up a bit we could have a bkcc kit day behind my house..if there not playing football..as im getting loads of wind. (NOT THAT SORT B4 I GET ANY QUICK COMMENTS)..

[Moleman]

I've been over Colin's places & yes he does get a lot of wind! Good Kite flying weather. 

[YellaBelly]

It was last night, my camera resets everytime it needs new batteries, and it eats them like they're going out of fashion!!

[SPAXIMUS]

My sympathies go out to those affected, be it in the Levels or in the Thames valley. What is clear from all this is that this is the culmination of years of F..K ups. We have the EA being filled with tree huggers who see more worth in a bird than a home. Chris Smith says they have not got any money, but have found over £4 million on PR. Dregging not allowed in Somerset or the Thames to keep the water levels under control. Councils being too arrogant or stupid to ask for help from military, as they were waiting for someone to offer money as the army will charge the local authorities.
What Cameron said was there is no limit to money for the emergancy, however when you have a defict we need to wonder where this is going to come from, certainly not the overseas aid budget we are told.
We are still a great nation but when things like this happen it just shows what tossers are allowed to be in charge of these agencies and their lack of ability it shows how far we have fallen. Where we had visonary people like Basljet who designed and built the sewer system in London with such capacity that it is still working today, we now have bean counters who do everything on the cheap and cannot see further than a few years. 

[benchmark51]

I reckon we could do with another Brunel, his stuff seems to work.

[benchmark51]

I've been over Colin's places & yes he does get a lot of wind! Good Kite flying weather. 

You should remember to cut the green bit off the cucumber, that the cause