STORM IN BRITAIN

Hokitika Guardian, 13 December 1929, Page 5

STORM IN BRITAIN

THAMES VALLEY FLOODED. (British Official Wireless). RUGBY, December 9. The positoin in the Thames Valley was referred to to-day by Lord Desborough. chairman of the Thames Conservancy Board. He said that the total rainfall in the valley in the last ten weeks alone equalled the average fall for the six winter months. Three hundred and twenty-five men were engaged on the special duty of keeping the weirs free from obstructions, A further rise in the next two or throe days was inevitable even if the rain ceased. The prolonged drought ot the summer had enabled the rivers to absorb the heavy rainfalls, without flooding, in November, but the December rains had brought floods. ROYAL TRAIN DELAYED. For the first time on record the Royal train in which the King and Queen to-day travelled from Sandringham to London, was late. It reached London some nineteen minutes behind scheduled time owing to the winds encountered on the journey. STRICKEN VESSELS ARRIVE. LONDON, Dec. 11. The Largelow staggered into Falmouth badly battered, not merely with damaged steering gear, but deck houses demolished, the forecastle deck cleared and the main deck swept of everything movable. Four other vessels made I almouth to-day storm stricken. ALARMING ENGLISH FLOODS. LONDON. December, 12.

A serious situation has arisen in the Atlielney district of Somerset, where a large area is flooded, and the waters are being lashed into huge waves by a high wind, the whole resembling an inland sea.

A big struggle is going on to prevent the waters from breaking the dykes, which are the only barrier between the lowlying Sedgemoor villages and the flood. If the dykes give way, a score of villages and the town of Bridgewater will he jeopardised. Provision are being rushed to the villagers in boats, and day and night the dykes are being patrolled. Miles of meadows are submerged in the Wye Valley, where there are dwellers in bungalows. Shopping is being done in punts.

The Rivera Severn is now twentythree feet high, whereas the normal height of the river is eleven feet. Many of the highways between Gloucester and Tewkesbury are submerged to the extent of six feet.

There are consequently hundreds of houses in Worcester now flooded.

The steamer Largo Law, bound from Antwerp to New Zealand, put into Falmouth with her steering gear damaged.

FLOOD DAMAGE.

AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT

(Received this rlav at 8.30. a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 11.

“Every powerful gust in the recent five-day storm must have cost us thousands of pounds,” says a leading London insurance official. “At Lloyds, who are chiefly affected, a thousand telegrams, which is an unprecedented numlyer. were posted after the storm.”

The total wrecks numbered sixtyone, which is a record loss. It is estimated at If millions sterling. Six hundred and six vessels were damaged, of which 197 were along the British Coast. This will mean another million, apart from indirect losses to ship-owij-ers, who with floods, damaged houses, property and land, make the cost of destruction -unprecedented