Amy
16-08-2004, 07:24 PM
RESCUE helicopters were scrambled to help people trapped when flash flooding caused chaos in North Cornwall today.
The emergency began after around two inches of rain fell around the Boscastle area.
Around 50 people were trapped in vehicles in the area, said the West Country Ambulance Service.
Part of the main A39 road was closed as torrential rain swept in. Two rescue helicopters and two lifeboats were called to the scene.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman Mark Clark said he
understood no- one was in a life threatening situation.
Two military helicopters and one air ambulance had been sent to the scene.
Holidaymaker Wayne Grundy told Sky News how he saw parked cars being washed out to sea.
"The rain came down and turned the roads into rivers. Cars started coming down the High Street and then out to sea. I actually saw a caravan and two cars washed over the top of a bridge. I have never seen anything like it."
Mr Grundy told how he saw people climbing into windows to escape the rising water.
He added: "The bed and breakfast and tea shop just filled with water.
"One minute they were ankle deep and the next they were up to their chests trying to climb into windows to escape the wash."
Coastguard spokesman Mr Clark said that 30 vehicles had been washed into the harbour at Boscastle and two buildings had collapsed near a pub.
Environment Agency spokesman Mike Dunning said the River Valancy in Boscastle had burst its banks.
"There was a very concentrated burst of rain. About 60mm fell in the space of two hours this afternoon which has caused flooding."
Stephen Rose, divisional fire officer at Cornwall Fire Brigade, told Sky News that 20 fire appliances had been deployed but emergency services were being hampered by flood water up to 9ft deep.
Nigel Doyle, landlord of The Darlington Inn in Camelford, said sandbags were being put in place to protect properties from the swollen River Camel.
He said: "The emergency services are out and they are sandbagging certain houses because the river is going at full flow. There is a lot of flood water out on the streets."
Mr Doyle said it had been raining heavily in the Camelford area for the past few hours.
Holidaymaker Jude Rees told BBC TV Spotlight News how she was in a cafe in Boscastle when she heard a “huge bang” and the river started to flood.
"It was literally in a matter of seconds. After 10 minutes the bridge we were looking at had been ripped up and it was floating down into the sea.
"The shop started to flood and the stock was floating around."
Margaret Hunter, owner of the Tintagel Arms Hotel, said the rain had been "exceptional".
He added: "It has been torrential. Really, really heavy rain and storms with water running down the village. I was amazed at the volume of rain."
Article The Sun (http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004380754,00.html)
Sounds Awful, I hope this type of weather does not strike any where else :shocked:
The emergency began after around two inches of rain fell around the Boscastle area.
Around 50 people were trapped in vehicles in the area, said the West Country Ambulance Service.
Part of the main A39 road was closed as torrential rain swept in. Two rescue helicopters and two lifeboats were called to the scene.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman Mark Clark said he
understood no- one was in a life threatening situation.
Two military helicopters and one air ambulance had been sent to the scene.
Holidaymaker Wayne Grundy told Sky News how he saw parked cars being washed out to sea.
"The rain came down and turned the roads into rivers. Cars started coming down the High Street and then out to sea. I actually saw a caravan and two cars washed over the top of a bridge. I have never seen anything like it."
Mr Grundy told how he saw people climbing into windows to escape the rising water.
He added: "The bed and breakfast and tea shop just filled with water.
"One minute they were ankle deep and the next they were up to their chests trying to climb into windows to escape the wash."
Coastguard spokesman Mr Clark said that 30 vehicles had been washed into the harbour at Boscastle and two buildings had collapsed near a pub.
Environment Agency spokesman Mike Dunning said the River Valancy in Boscastle had burst its banks.
"There was a very concentrated burst of rain. About 60mm fell in the space of two hours this afternoon which has caused flooding."
Stephen Rose, divisional fire officer at Cornwall Fire Brigade, told Sky News that 20 fire appliances had been deployed but emergency services were being hampered by flood water up to 9ft deep.
Nigel Doyle, landlord of The Darlington Inn in Camelford, said sandbags were being put in place to protect properties from the swollen River Camel.
He said: "The emergency services are out and they are sandbagging certain houses because the river is going at full flow. There is a lot of flood water out on the streets."
Mr Doyle said it had been raining heavily in the Camelford area for the past few hours.
Holidaymaker Jude Rees told BBC TV Spotlight News how she was in a cafe in Boscastle when she heard a “huge bang” and the river started to flood.
"It was literally in a matter of seconds. After 10 minutes the bridge we were looking at had been ripped up and it was floating down into the sea.
"The shop started to flood and the stock was floating around."
Margaret Hunter, owner of the Tintagel Arms Hotel, said the rain had been "exceptional".
He added: "It has been torrential. Really, really heavy rain and storms with water running down the village. I was amazed at the volume of rain."
Article The Sun (http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004380754,00.html)
Sounds Awful, I hope this type of weather does not strike any where else :shocked: