RSOE EDIS: United Kingdom - Extreme Weather - 2010.03.01

RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service Budapest, Hungary RSOE EDIS ALERTMAIL

2010-03-01 04:28:27 - Extreme Weather - United Kingdom EDIS CODE: ST-20100301-25159-GBR Date & Time: 2010-03-01 04:28:27 [UTC] Area: United Kingdom, England, Kent, Essex and Cambridgeshire, Damage level: Heavy (Level 3) Not confirmed information! Description: Nearly 200 flood warnings were in force last night after Britain was hit by the tail-end of killer Cyclone Cynthia that has ravaged much of the Continent. Southern England bore the brunt of the torrential rain and high winds which brought havoc to householders and motorists. Okehampton in Devon was worst hit as more than six inches of rain fell over the weekend. In Kent and Essex cars were trapped in water. And residents were cut off from their homes as roads became impassable. Blocked drains in the village of Aylesford on the River Medway caused a street to fill up with several inches of water. A terraced house partly collapsed after being battered by the downpour in Gillingham. The owners of the property managed to escape without injury. Kent Fire and Rescue took 100 phone calls yesterday from residents concerned about the safety of their properties as the deluge spread. Some homeowners needed help pumping water out of their homes. Assistant director of operations Steve Griffiths warned motorists not to drive through flooded roads or fords in the coming days. In one incident a man, woman and one-year-old child had to be winched to safety by a rescue helicopter after becoming stranded while cycling on a beach on the Isle of Sheppey on Saturday. The Environment Agency continued to issue flood warnings throughout the weekend with 160 in force last night. A severe warning was issued for parts of Cambridgeshire where residents were advised to move valuables upstairs and to check the whereabouts of family and pets. North-east England had also been warned of a risk of flooding in parts of North Yorkshire, including costal areas. Posted:2010-03-01 04:28:27 [UTC] Please DO NOT reply to this message: replies may be treated as errors and result in your subscription being deleted. If you have trouble or other queries, send email to havaria@rsoe.hu RSOE EDIS is operated by the National Association of Radio-Distress Signalling and Infocommunications (RSOE), Budapest, Hungary. Because of the complexity of this system and its dependence on other systems, we cannot be responsible for delays or failures in forwarding or transmission. You're receiving this AlertMail because you subscribed for the service. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. Contact: havaria@rsoe.hu