BOSCASTLE FLOODS AUGUST 2004

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BOSCASTLE FLOODS AUGUST 2004
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BOSCASTLE FLOODS

• The objectives of this lesson are to examine the
  causes and consequences of the Boscastle floods
  of August 2004
• G. Atterton. August 2004

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BOSCASTLE BEFORE THE FLOODS
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BOSCASTLE BEFORE THE FLOODS
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BOSCASTLE BEFORE THE FLOODS
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BOSCASTLE AFTER THE FLOODS
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BOSCASTLE AFTER THE FLOODS
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• 907pmFalmouth Coastguard Assist Police in
  Boscastle Floods
• Urgent calls to Falmouth Coastguard at about
  3.45 p.m. this afternoon alerted the marine
  emergency service to rising flood water at
  Boscastle in North Cornwall. The report suggested
  that the river had risen 6 or 7 feet within the
  last hour, and that coupled with high water and
  torrential rain was making the situation more
  serious around the harbour area of the town.

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• Seven aircraft including a Coastguard
  helicopter 3 Royal Navy helicopters and two RAF
  helicopters have now been used to pick people
  from the rising water and they have all been
  deposited at the Boscastle football pitch or the
  village hall which remain above the water. All
  power was switched off into the village earlier
  during the incident to prevent further accidents.

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• There were no reports of serious injuries but
  people have been spotted in upstairs windows and
  on roofs. The situation is on going with the
  Police setting up a control room locally.

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The emergency services are out and they are
sandbagging certain houses because the river is
going at full flow. There is a lot of flood water
out on the streets.
Nigel Doyle, landlord of The Darlington Inn in
Camelford
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20 fire appliances had been deployed but
emergency services were being hampered by flood
water up to 9ft deep.Its making it extremely
difficult to get our resources into this area
Stephen Rose Fire officer
There was a very concentrated burst of rain.
About 60mm fell in the space of two hours this
afternoon which has caused flooding, he said.
Environmental Agency spokesman Mike Dunning
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We are trying to help people who are in dire
situations and in need of an airlift.
Flight Lieutenant Chris Thomas from RAF St
Mawgan, Cornwall
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The rain came down and turned the roads into
rivers. Cars started coming down the High Street
and then out to sea. I actually saw a caravan and
two cars washed over the top of a bridge. I have
never seen anything like it.
Holidaymaker Wayne Grundy
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"There is no electricity or power in the area. A
number of properties have been completely washed
away and, at one point, a 10-foot wave came down
one street."
BBC reporter David George
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"There is no electricity or power in the area. A
number of properties have been completely washed
away and, at one point, a 10-foot wave came down
one street."
BBC Spotlight Cornwall reporter David George
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"It has been torrential. Really, really heavy
rain and storms with water running down the
village. I was amazed at the volume of rain."
Margaret Hunter, owner of the Tintagel Arms Hotel
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North Cornwall was worst affected by the heavy
rains but discounted any link to tropical storms.
Paul Mott, meteorologist at the PA Weather Centre.
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CAUSES OF THE BOSCASTLE FLOODS
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Met Office meteorologist Wayne Elliott agreed.
"The crucial things in this case were the high
ground and the area only having two rivers.
Coupled with the already high water table, the
conditions were just right,"
You cannot put it down to global warming. It
really was a freak event. There is not much
people can do to protect themselves.