General Chat

Since time immemorial flooding has wreaked havoc, many of us can probably recall over, lets say the last 65 years, instances of serious flooding, from the floods caused by the melting snow in 1947 through to the floods in 2012. After every serious flood, politicians of all persuasions, have said lessons have been learned and this must not be allowed to happen again.

I am wondering what the politicians will say after the current flooding has subsided, as it will take more than sympathetic political rhetoric - to help prevent the devastation that can be caused by the power of mother nature?

There was some mention about how the Authorities prioritise

- Urban population with the priority given to areas of high deprivation, the idea being that those with a bit of cash can recover more quickly than those without.
- Other areas of high density population
- Rural towns and villages (fewer properties in a given area)
- Farm land

I was thinking, but didn't like to mention it, that it would become a national disaster if it threatened London.

Logically, I can see some of the reasoning behind this in that there are far more dwellings to be damaged so it will cost a lot more but it still doesn't make it any better for the rural victims.

I love that comment about Eric Pickles being more use as a sandbag. :-D

Hopefully these floods will be a wake-up call for the UK to realise that climate change is here and is probably due to human activity.

Daughter and son in law live here in the old family house, so they are in charge when we are in Somerset.

( although, lovely as he is, and I shall say this very quietly, there is proof that you can't always have beauty and brains ). Daughter has both, luckily !!!!

:-D

I have been trying to discover without much luck, if Eric is " one of mine "

He he. M.

Never one to be cynical - but they will be getting their fingers out now that the flooding has hit the "Stockbroker Belt" ;-)

To Jude Maryanna and everyone suffering from the dreadful floods, I hope someone from somewhere will do something soon. The rhetoric and posturing and point scoring of politicians is disgraceful, this issue should be beyond politics. I personally not do believe anything that comes out of their mouths.

I have to agree with OFITG I too have been impressed by Eric Pickles.

You might want to work out a plan to put items at ground level on work surfaces, or up stairs. Don’t forget the contents of cupboards! Include raising furniture on to bricks if you can. ‘Only’ an inch or two of water could make an awful mess.

You might come home and find that your home is as dry as it's now, but better safe than sorry :-(

There is a big tractor / digger type thing trundling about in the field behind at the moment, I hope he is going to clear ditches or something and not make things worse.

Next door seem to be fine but they are a bit higher than us and all on one level. Our lawn is up four steps from the patio which is sort if sunken, we have to go down two steps from the patio doors. Thinking about it, the water is probably draining off their garden into ours as well.

M.

All I can say is, thank goodness we didn't redecorate the living room and dining room here, as planned, in time for Christmas, and when we did finally make a start a couple of weeks ago, we did the hall, stairs and landing.

Keeping everything crossed. Back off home to Somerset on Thursday, house there nice and dry, I just hope that when we get back here next week we don't have to start bailing out.

M.

Thinking of Jude and Maryanna - even if Maryanna isn't flooded there's going to be a lot of drying out and redecorating to be done <3

Pouring down here again and very windy once more.

I always fancied a swimming pool, I just wouldn't have put it so close to the patio doors so you just step into it. Patio has about six inches of water on it and doesn't seem to be getting a chance to drain away. It is coming up from the ground if anything. I think a lot of the ground water is coming off the fields behind.

Luckily the house sits quite high but we only have about another six inches or so before it reaches the door sills. I am assuming that some of it is running into the air bricks around the house, not sure how much of a cavity we have underneath.

We haven't been worried up until now as we are up a hill but the water just isn't draining away and is just sitting in the patio. Himself isn't worried and says everything is fine and the house won't flood. When it starts to seep into the garage, which is lower than the house, he will get a shock.

The side wall of the house is also soaked through and we have big patches of wet on each side of the fireplace in the dining room.

They say there is no end in sight for this weather too.

Jude, hope all is still well with you this morning.

M.


:-(

If there is one good thing to come out of this winter flooding, it is that we have been awarded some humility by nature which has shown us once again that this planet does not belong to us.

And though we may not realise it, sometimes we are not its most important species. (Irish Independent).

Thanks each:)...NO its never flooded before, nor the direct neighbours, one has been here 23 yrs. House about 200 ft away was raised about 5 - 6 yrs ago because it flooded but they are right on the banks, there garden has gone, and next door to them a brick built house is flooded downstairs now, 2nd time since new yr :-( :-(

We still have 32" before it reaches f/door, also we can see some grass on f/lawn now,although there the water has probably soaked down. The 4 th side has gone back abit...yehhhhh

l'm packed and almost ready to go!! l slept well last night too:)

jude xx

Jude


fingers crossed for you xxxx

oh Jude - fingers crossed you will be safe <3 <3 <3 <3

Stay safe Jude. Had the house flooded before? If so were you informed when you were buying it? I hope the water level starts to drop soon.

We are now surrounded on 3 sides by water and the 4th is catching up!! Police have been on the site a number of times, won't be evacuating us tonight. The site flood rep (bless his heart), has been out checking the levels so many times, mind you so has Vic . We are staying here tonight atleast. We still have about 32" before it reaches the f/door....x

SURREY HAS BEEN HIT HARD THIS TIME,COUPLE OF ROADS
AWAY CLOSED SEWAGE COMING THROUGH DRAINS,
COUPLE OF MILES AWAY THE THAMES HAS BUST ITS BANK,AN
THE FLOODS EVEN AT A COUPLE OF MILES ITS TOO CLOSE,AND
NO WAY TO CONTROL IT,IF IT DONT STOP THE SHOPPING CENTER
WILL BE ON AN ISLAND OF ITS OWN.

We shall fight on the overflowing seas & repair the railway line in Dawlish; we will respect the Black Swans who happily continue to bob along there in the bay; we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air to help TV to broadcast views of devastation; we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be added to the public‘s woe. We shall fight on the beaches where sea walls are breached; we shall fight on the grounds of Eaton & particularly in London where the rich aristocrats & politicians reside; we shall fight in the fields around the Somerset Levels and in Benefit Street if Channel 4 permits; we shall fight in the hills where the plebs are not allowed; and we shall never surrender the power to increase water charges as the Government sees fit.