Somerset Levels Flooding

[black_cat51]

I get that flooding is terrible and really uproots people, things and buildings. we have been flooded ourselves and it was awful. However, i can't really understand what the somerset people on the news moaning about the govt are really expecting them to do - they can't stop it raining!
Lots of people have been flooded in recent years, but i haven't really seen this much criticism of the govt before. It's like at Xmas when the electricity companies were vilified for people being without power - when trees fall down in the wind, you kind of expect power lines to come down too, and i doubt the companies just sat around thinking "oh dear"!

[jno]

we got £100 million-odd from the EU the last time there was flooding; they may well stump up again, while wondering why a rich country doesn't plan for it better.

[Zeuhl]

/but where are they when we need them? /

interesting comparison with foreign aid and disaster relief; perhaps ann or aog could clarify for us exactly how many people in Somerset are currently;

starving to death
unable to access drinking water
living in makeshift tents or refugee camps

[jno]

they had to prepare a makeshift throne the other day

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/2/5/1391612859990/Prince-Charles-visits-flo-011.jpg

[EDDIE51]

jno we don't plan for it because this level of rainfall is the worst in well over 100 years. Same reason we don't 'plan for' snow that is going to be more than a few inches or last for more than a few days. We don't plan for hurricanes either even though we had one in 1986.

[jno]

I didn't mean "plan" in the sense of having expensive equipment standing by for it, but of preventing it happening in the first place. We can't stop the rain but we can work on the assumption that it's going to happen.

I posted this link yesterday but it's still useful

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26042518

[EDDIE51]

jno, ^^
That is exactly what I meant, The answer is to build dams and reservoirs up in the hills so the water is collected and stored and released when needed. For example in summer to avoid a hosepipe ban. In addition to the obvious problems,( loss of land ,wildlife habitats and the rest) there is the massive cost and who is going to pay for it. The government sold off the water boards to make a quick profit and none of the private ( and nearly 100% foreign owned) water companies are going to pay the £billions cost.

[ChillDoubt]

Just been announced by Avon & Somerset Police that the Armed Forces are being called in to help.
Why has it taken so long to deploy them? They've been raring to go since Day 1 (as ever) but have been held in reserve, kerrist knows what for.
It's as if using HM Forces is seen by the Government as some sort of defeat, a matter to lose face over. Mind you, given the cuts they're subjecting them to they're lucky that there's any about to help out in a crisis, as they invariably do from time to time.
I doubt it'll be so in the not too distant future.

[EDDIE51]

What can the army do? All I can think of is helping with transport (amphibious vehicles, pontoon's etc.) there is nowhere to pump the water no matter how many pumps they have and they can't stop the rain. February is normally the wettest month of the year and more heavy downpours are forecast.

[EDDIE51]

The navy might be more use but they now have more Admirals than they have boats.

[jno]

the navy will drink anything, Eddie?

[black_cat51]

GRRR someone from there on the radio this morning "the governemt should be doing something ...." radio presenter: " what would you like them to do" Person: "errr, well, errr there's not a lot they can do really"

[chrissa1]

When they are told to evacuate their houses, where do they go? Some people may have nobody who they can go and stay with, out of the area, + the cost involved.

[emmie]

felt very sorry for the farmer who was trying desperately to get his livestock off the farm, which was mostly under water. He had little or no sleep as the task was proving even with neighbours help, rather arduous. the fields completely flooded and much of the feed ruined, he obviously is not alone.

[Zacs-Master]

Someone on radio 2 suggested that the Govt should be paying for her house to be re-rendered! Has she not heard of Insurance?