Wessex FM - Flood Watch

Flooding like this is very rare; but there are many narrow steep-sided valleys in Dorset where, after very heavy rainfall, water levels can increase very quickly.

Flash flooding is caused by intense rainfall. Flash floods are rare but can be incredibly destructive. There are two types of flash flooding:

Localised flooding – this is where the drainage is not able to cope with the intense rainfall and so the rain water runs down the streets and into buildings. This often happens in urban areas

Severe flash flooding – this is when heavy rainfall runs off the land and quickly swells rivers and streams. It happens in mainly steep-sided valleys which act as a funnel for the rainwater. This is the most destructive form of flooding, moving rocks, tearing out trees, sweeping away vehicles and destroying buildings, walls and bridges.

The Environment Agency give four simple steps that will help you stay safe if you are involved in a flood.

Step 1 – Be aware

Listen for weather warnings and flood alerts on Wessex FM 96 and 97.2 FM

Step 2 – Move to a safe place

Try to seek shelter in a safe place. If there are no buildings to shelter in, and it is safe to do so, move to higher ground away from the flow of water.

Step 3 –Do not walk or drive through floodwater.

Most injuries and deaths are caused during a flood happen when people try to cross a watercourse on foot or in a vehicle.

It takes only 15cm (6 inches) of fast flowing water to knock over an adult

There may be other dangers in the water including rubble, vegetation and exposed drains

It takes less than 60cm (2 feet) of water to lift and wash away a 4x4 car

Step 4 – Stay safe

Be patient and try to stay dry, warm and calm.

The Environment Agency are working with communities and Parish Councils Nationally to raise awareness and give advice on how to stay safe in floods.

For more information on preparing for flooding please visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk

The Floods of 1955

On 18 July 1955, Dorset experienced a very rare and severe thunderstorm; a thunderstorm so severe it was one of the largest to have ever occur in England. It recorded the highest amount of rainfall in a 24 hour period, which has only recently been exceeded in 2009 during the Cockermouth floods. The resulting floods affected manycommunities in Dorset.

In Osmington Mills, this very rare event caused water to run off the land causing a dam to burst. This resulted in water sweeping down the valley; flooding properties, washing away bridges and widening the channel. For one resident living in a property next to the stream, they thought “It was the end of the world”, as they took refuge on the first floor and saw trees being washed upright down the valley.

In Weymouth, Prim Hughes recalled to the Broadwey and Upwey Historical Society the moment the floods hit:

“ During the afternoon of Monday 18 July 1955 it got very very dark. By 4.00pm it was as dark as night and the rain started falling, continuing until about 7.30pm. Army lorries went up through Church Street shouting out ‘don’t worry if it gets any worse we’re all ready on Dorchester Rd to evacuate you. Children thought it was quite exciting. “

Rose Amey’s farther was one of many locals who went out to rescue people caught in the floods:

“Father was friendly with the people who ran the Chipperfields funfair. When the flood happened he pushed our small rowing boat up under the railway bridge to help rescue the women and children. For several days our house was full to the brim with people. The men at the fair stayed behind for a while to make the place secure and to rescue what they could. They had a monkey in a cage in the middle of the fair. They left it there, the rumour being that the takings from the fair were kept in the bottom of the cage. The monkey was not the most friendly animal and only the fair workers could enter the cage safely.”

Jane Kanji and her sister Anne Mannings lived in Upwey and were children at the time. Jane recalls:

"It was raining hard I remember the lightning being really frightening. When we left school we ran up to the Wishing Well Café where my mother worked. Being the oldest she sent me home to get some clean clothes. I rushed up stairs and put some clothes into a paper bag, which on reflection was rather silly as it was raining so hard."

Anne added:

"Over fifty years on I can still remember the water making its way under the front door, which was very scary as the door was nearly six feet up from the road. We moved up to the back of the garden which was higher up to get away from the water. This is where our father found us when he eventually got home from work. When I saw the images of the Boscastle flooding it brought the whole event back to me."

Listen to the interview's here:

Learning lessons from the forgotten Weymouth floods of 1955

The Environment Agency is urging people to take action to protect themselves from flash flooding and learn the lessons from the now forgotten floods that swept through Dorset in 1955.

During the afternoon of July 18, 1955 the skies over Weymouth became increasingly dark and by about 4.30pm, eye witnesses recorded it was as dark as night. By the following afternoon around eleven inches of rain (280mm) had fallen in the area making it the highest rainfall ever recorded in a twenty four hour period. This record stood until November 2009 when it was exceeded by the Cumbrian floods.

Within hours the normally placid rivers Wey, Jordan, Brit, Bride, Preston Brook and Osmington Stream became raging torrents, sweeping all before them.

John Phillips, team leader in the Environment Agency’s Flood Incident Management Team at Blandford says: ‘Flash flooding of the kind experienced in 1955, is one of the biggest hazards we face in the South West. Many of our rivers respond very rapidly to intense rainfall and this is why we have made it a priority to make people aware of the risk and to provide them with information to help them cope with this type of flooding. This awareness work is particularly important in West Dorset in view of the large number of visitors who will be visiting the area for the 2012 Olympic sailing events.’

Despite the intensity of the rainfall back in 1955, much of Dorset remained unaffected. But Bridport, West Bay, Weymouth, Upwey, Broadwey, Radipole and Osmington Mills were all damaged by flood water. Houses were flooded to a depth of four or five feet (1.5m), roads were washed away and cars were carried down through the streets.

Despite the ferocity of the storm only one person lost their life in the floods. Young scout, Robin Crump, fell into the river while trying to retrieve someone’s bicycle and was swept away. Just prior to this he had been helping people clean up after the storm.

Along the River Jordan, holiday caravans at Bowleaze Cove were washed into the stream, while on the Osmington Stream one cottage was nearly washed away by the water that rushed down the valley.

‘Caravan and campsites along these rapidly responding rivers are a major concern and we are lucky to be working with a number of site owners to produce emergency plans in preparation for the influx of tourists during the Olympic year. If there are site owners who are looking at drawing up plans we can offer support and advice,’ added John Phillips.

‘When you read the accounts of the storm it is amazing how resilient people were in those days. Perhaps it was because the Second World War was still in their minds and they were used to dealing with emergencies. Actions like moving upstairs or away from the flood water, noticing changes in the rivers’ behaviour or having an emergency supply of candles in case there was no power seemed to be second nature.’

Wessex FM has teamed up with the Environment Agency to keep you updated on any potential flooding in Dorset

You can find information here on what to do if a flood warning is issued.

Listen for weather warnings and flood alerts on Wessex FM 96 and 97.2 FM

If you have an experience or pictures of the July 1995 floods we would like to hear from you, please call James Maher (Environment Agency) on 01258 483398.

www.environment-agency.gov.uk