2013–2014 United Kingdom winter floods

2013–2014 United Kingdom winter floods

Emergency pumps were brought in to drain the Somerset levels.
Date 5 December 2013 – 25 February 2014
Location United Kingdom and Ireland
Deaths at least 17 dead

The 2013–2014 United Kingdom winter floods saw areas of the United Kingdom inundated following severe storms. The south of England saw heavy rainfalls associated with these storms which caused widespread flooding, power cuts and major disruptions to transport. Economically the worst affected areas were Somerset, Devon, Dorset and Cornwall in the south west and the Thames Valley in the south east. The Met Office reported the storms were responsible for the wettest December to January period since 1876.[1] The flood phenomena ranged from coastal flooding, pluvial flooding, fluvial flooding to groundwater flooding. The flooding resulted in the inundation of the majority of the Somerset Levels and saw the main railway line to Cornwall and West Devon at Dawlish severed for several weeks.

Meteorological history

A series of low pressure areas developed or formed over North America explosively deepening over the Atlantic/gulf stream before reaching the European coast. An Omega Block developed over northern Norway/Scandinavia which prevented the lows moving east over Europe, with a series of lows "dying" to the northwest of Britain and Ireland. The blocking pattern over northern Norway led to a severe drought and forest fires there in early 2014.[2]

Time line

Impact

Coastal flooding

The period began on 5 December 2013 when a deep low pressure area moved from the Atlantic over Scotland and the North Sea inducing a storm surge in the Irish Sea and North Sea coasts of the United Kingdom.[13] In the North Sea some of the highest level tides were recorded in the Humber and Thames estuaries, exceeding levels which occurred during the disastrous North Sea flood of 1953. Flooding occurred in Tyneside, Teeside, along the Yorkshire coast, around the Humber and the Wash, where in particular the town of Boston, Lincolnshire was badly affected by when the high tide overtopped defences.[13]

Breached seawall and railway at Dawlish, Devon

Coastal flooding particularly affected the south and west of the UK, with severe damage reported Wales, Cornwall, Devon and Dorset. A particularly notable event occurred on 5 February when the seawall and railway line were breached at Dawlish.

The Riviera Line and transport disruption

A 165 ft (50 m) section of the Riviera Line track at Dawlish cutting the Exeter and Newton Abbot on the main railway line through the county on 3 February.[14] Network Rail said it had pulled all repair staff away from working on washed away track on 4 February.[15]

A section of the town's sea wall was later reported to have washed away among with the track. Network spokesman, Julian Burnell, estimated "hundreds of tonnes" of ballast had been dislodged from under tracks after they had "taken a real pounding from the sea".[15]

The damage to sea defenses were not the only problem as the weather also forced the closure of the main Exeter-to-Newton Abbot railway line in Devon in early February.[16] In a press release, First Great Western had initially said the Exeter-Newton Abbot line would only be closed until Wednesday as a result of the "poor weather conditions", but this was extended the until the end of the week.[16]

Wave damage caused 3 January at Llanaber railway station

This was not unique since high tides also lashed Plymouth's Hoe seafront and the nearby Barbican.[15] Near the city of Exeter, firefighters rescued a man from a vehicle stuck in floodwater.[16] Sea defences, walls and footpaths were damaged, including at Newlyn Green on 4 February.[16] The Tamar Bridge between Plymouth in Devon and Saltash in Cornwall was closed to all traffic for a period after wind speeds surpassed 70 mph.[16]

It was reckoned that the storms had caused more than £4m worth of damage across Cornwall in a month.[16]

David Cameron chaired his first Cobra meeting of the year and announced an extra £100m for flood works on 5 February.[17]

A Department for Transport source said that the "most pressing issue" was to get the line up and running as soon as possible, "but equally it is clear it is important we look at the long term as well."[14]

Meanwhile, powerful waves continued to thrash the exposed coastline railway line at Dawlish and slightly damaged Dawlish station itself.[14]

During February, a wave measuring more than 70 feet was recorded off the coast of Penzance. A flood buoy near Penzance triggered a reading of 74.8 feet at 3 am.[14]

Lib Dem MP for Torbay, Adrian Sanders, said the loss of the main line was "a disaster" and called on the Transport Secretary to intervene.[14]

A landslip on the West of England Main Line at Crewkerne, Somerset cut off the final link to Exeter on 8 February,[18] it was expected to take a week to repair, though reports that the track was safe for slow moving trains, however signal problems led to line closure again on 9 February, but was re-opened again that afternoon. The alternative route along the Bristol to Exeter Line was under water on the Somerset Levels,with trains unable to Taunton and Bridgewater.[19] Line at Dawlish out of action, likely to be out of action for sometime and protected by shipping containers.[20]

Inland flooding

The total number of properties flooded was less than in the2007 United Kingdom floods. Effects more similar to the Autumn 2000 western Europe floods.

Flood protection in Upton-upon-Severn

Severn catchment

Flooding on the middle and lower reaches of the River Severn were similar in magnitude to those experienced during the 2007 United Kingdom floods.[21]

Somerset Levels

From December 2013 onwards the Somerset Levels suffered severe flooding. During December 2013 and January 2014 heavy rainfall led to extensive flooding with over 600 houses and 17,000 acres (6,900 ha) of agricultural land, including North Moor, Curry and Hay Moors and Greylake, affected. The village of Thorney was abandoned and Muchelney cut off. Northmoor Green, which is more commonly known as Moorland, was also severely affected. Flood relief activities included the use of rescue boats and the army. High volume pumps were brought in from the Netherlands and installed at several points to try to relieve the flooding. Prince Charles and several senior politicians visited the area and controversy arose about the role of the Environment Agency and particularly about the need for ongoing dredging of the main rivers, with claims that the government had not been quick enough to react and provide assistance to flooded communities. This was the second winter following the 2012 Great Britain and Ireland floods which brought severe flooding to the Somerset Levels

Surrey and Kent

Flooding on the River Darent Eynsford, Kent 26 December 2013

A stormy period from the 23–27 December 2013 brought heavy rainfall to southern England, especially in a swathe from Dorset through Hampshire, Surrey and Kent.[13] The first storm brought travel disruptions, especially as the flooding affecting Yalding and the electrical substations at Gatwick Airport leaving the northern terminal without power on Christmas Eve.[22] After Cyclone Dirk on Christmas Day, saturated ground led to localised flooding in southern England, as the storm brought up to 60mm of rain to the UK. A major incident was declared in the region of Leatherhead and Dorking with Fire Brigade unions calling off a planned strike in Surrey and Kent. An Environment Agency spokesman said flooding in Kent and Sussex were the worst to hit the area since Autumn 2000.

Thames Valley

Flooded gardens Chertsey January 2014
Heavy flooding at Maidenhead Bridge, January 2014

There was some criticism of the Jubilee River designed to protect Maidenhead, by residents in Wraysbury who blamed the scheme for increasing flooding downstream.[23] In February 2014, the River Ash caused flooding in homes in Staines-upon-Thames. This flooding was exacerbated by a two-day delay by Surrey County Council's 'Gold Control' flood control group in ordering Thames Water to close a sluice gate on a Thames Water aqueduct. Thames Water considered it had been following an existing protocol agreed with Surrey County Council and the Environment Agency.[24] Many were evacuated from their homes and the army were giving out free sandbags to Wraysbury victims. In Datchet Prince Harry and Will were seen helping out with defenses at local private school by after it's pupils were forced to relocate for months at a nearby hotel.

References

  1. ↑ "2014 UK floods (KS3-5)". Geographical Association. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  2. ↑ Rommetveit, Astrid (4 February 2014). "Britene har "kapret" regnet vårt". yr.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  3. ↑ Carter, Claire (24 December 2013). "Fifth person dies in storms sweeping UK and causing travel chaos". The Telegraph. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  4. ↑ "Flooding continues to threaten UK". BBC News (BBC). 3 January 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "Somerset floods: 'Major incident' declared". BBC News (BBC). 24 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  6. ↑ "West Bromwich church and houses hit by lightning in storm". BBC News (BBC). 25 January 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "UK floods: January rain breaks records in parts of England". BBC News (BBC). 30 January 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  8. ↑ "UK storms wash away railway line and leave thousands without power". BBC News (BBC). 5 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  9. ↑ "Extra £100m for floods aftermath". Belfast Telegraph (Independent News and Media). 5 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  10. ↑ "Prime minister pledges to get flood-hit UK back on the move". BBC News (BBC). 6 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  11. ↑ http://www.news.com.au/world/breaking-news/storms-to-batter-flood-hit-britain/story-e6frfkui-1226821348287?from=public_rss
  12. ↑ "UK storms: Coastal areas in west hit by renewed gales". BBC News (BBC). 8 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  13. 1 2 3 Thorne, Colin (December 2014). "Geographies of UK flooding in 2013/4". The Geographical Journal 180 (4): 297–309. doi:10.1111/geoj.12122.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "Dawlish railway line damage may leave Devon and Cornwall rail links out of action for months". Western Morning News. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  15. 1 2 3 "Dawlish railway repairs halted over safety fears". BBC News (BBC). 4 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Storms cause £4 m damage in Cornwall". BBC News (BBC). 4 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  17. ↑ "UK storms destroy railway line and leave thousands without power". BBC News (BBC). 5 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  18. ↑ "Landslip causes further rail misery for South West travellers". BBC News. 8 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  19. ↑ "Taunton to Bridgwater railway line remains under water". BBC News. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  20. ↑ "Shipping containers provide flood defence at Dawlish". ITV News. 9 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  21. ↑ Thorne, Colin (December 2014). "Geographies of UK flooding in 2013/4". The Geographical Journal 180 (4): 297–309. doi:10.1111/geoj.12122.
  22. ↑ "Thousands hit by floods and power cuts at Christmas". BBC News. 25 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  23. ↑ "Wraysbury residents say Jubilee River is a 'disaster'". BBC News. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  24. ↑ "Staines residents seek flooding compensation". BBC News. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.

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