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2013–14 United Kingdom winter floods

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Wave damage caused 3 January at Llanaber railway station

During the winter of 2013–14, the British Isles was affected by several winter storms, which culminated in serious coastal damage and widespread persistent flooding. The weather was a part of major perturbations to the Pacific and North Atlantic jet streams, which was partly caused by persistent rainfall over Indonesia and the tropical Pacific Ocean. The Northern Atlantic jet stream was also unusually strong, which was linked by the Met Office to exceptional wind patterns in the stratosphere and a very intense polar vortex.

Meteorological analysis

During December 2013 several deep areas of low pressure moved across or to the north of the British Isles, which brought high wind-speeds to several locations.[1] The low pressure areas were a part weather was a part of major perturbations to the Pacific and North Atlantic jet streams, which was partially caused by persistent rainfall over Indonesia and the tropical Pacific Ocean.[1] The Northern Atlantic jet stream was also unusually strong, which was linked to an unusually strong westerly phase of the stratospheric Quasi-Biennial Oscillation which drove a very deep polar vortex and strong polar night jet.[1]

The storm between 4–5 December generated a major storm surge event within the North Sea, which coincided with one of the highest tides of the year and threatened much of the east coast.[1] The first major area of low pressure subsequently moved across the archipelago between 5–6 December and was followed by a system on 18–19 December, while a system moved to the north of the UK during 23–24 December.[2] This made December 2013 one of the stormiest Decembers on record, and one of the windiest months since January 1993.[3] It was also the wettest December and wettest month on record in Scotland.[4]

It was declared to be the worst rainfall on record for over 100 years on 30 January[5] Figures released by the Met Office indicate Southern England and parts of the Midlands have experienced their highest January rainfall since records began in 1910.[6]


Preparations

Throughout the winter the Met Office and Met Éireann issued various alerts and warnings for the British Isles. This included red warnings being issue by Met Éireann for the wind in Ireland on 18 December including Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo.[citation needed] Met Éireann also issued a red warning during 27 December for Clare, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Mayo, Waterford and Wexford.[7][8] The Met Office subsequently issued their first red warning since January 2013 for the wind in Wales and Northwestern England during 12 February.[9] The Environment Agency also issued various flood alerts and warnings with 14 severe flood warnings issued for the River Thames in Surrey and Berkshire.[10] The Environment Agency also closed/raised the Thames Barrier 13 times during January, and at various other times to protect London and the southeast from being flooded.[1][11]


Impact

Despite the flooding associated with the North Sea storm surge event of 4–5 December 2013 covering a large area, there were no direct deaths or major damage reported with only 1400 properties and 6,800 hectares (17,000 acres) of land damaged.[1] This was attributed to the warnings that were issued several days in advance and the improved coastal defences that had been built by the Environment Agency and others since 1953.[1] About 600 troops were deployed across England and Wales to assist with flood protection and relief, with around another 1,000 on standby during the night of 12 February. [12]

Rentokil also warned of a major influx of homeless rodents in houses as they escape their flooded nests 10 February 2014 [13]

British Isles

Complex flooding resulted from the storms including, flash flooding, river flooding, groundwater flooding, tidal surges and coastal flooding; however the total number of homes flooded was less than the 2007 United Kingdom floods, though conditions were more similar to the Autumn 2000 western Europe floods.

North and Mid Wales

A male in his 30s who went kayaking with a group of friends on the River Usk between Llangynidr and Crickhowell, went missing on the afternoon of 7 February.[11][14] 20 police officers, H.M Coastguard and a search and rescue helicopter were involved in the search[14] along with fiends and family[13] and they found his drowned corpse in a nearby location on the 9th.[14] Police warned locals to avoid going on the swollen river.[14]

The Mid and West Wales Fire Service dealt with several flooding several incidents as heavy rain fell near Bwlch y Garreg and the Norton area of Llangynidr. Fire crews in Powys pumped water away from a street in Brecon and Duffryn Crawnen in Crickhowell, and dealt with flooding at the Royal Oak Inn in Presteigne.[15]

Flooding had closed the A525 between Bangor-on-Dee and Cross Lane in Wrexham County.[15] The A490 in both directions was closed due to flooding between the A458/A483 at Sarn Bryn Caled roundabout, Welshpool, and the B4388 at Cilcewydd Bridge. [15] Restrictions were put in place on the M48 Severn Bridge due to strong crosswinds, but still remained open.

Flooding on the main line from south Wales to London between Reading and Paddington station caused some delays and cancellations to services.[15] Passengers were being warned to check before travelling, or to consider alternative routes. The A44 was closed for a time after a lorry became stuck in snow at Capel Bangor in Ceredigion between the A4159 and the A4120 at Ponterwyd and The A470 between the Storey Arms and Libanus was partially blocked on the afternoon of the 11th after two accidents in the snow.[15] One car left the road and the other accident involved two cars.[15] Snow ploughs were out on the A44 around Ponterwyd early on February 10.[15]

Brynllywarch Hall School in Newtown was closed to pupils due to bad weather while in Gwynedd, Ysgol Llandwrog closed due to a power cut.[15]

BT said that "Engineers for Openreach throughout Wales are working hard to repair those lines affected as quickly as possible, and additional engineers have been drafted in from less badly affected areas to bolster the workforce," the company said in a statement. Parts of west, south west and north Wales which had been particularly affected by storms had experienced fault levels going up by 30% for telephone and broadband services because of damage to overhead and underground lines.[15]

South Wales

In south east Wales, the A4042 was closed due to flooding between the A40 Monmouth Road/A465 Heads of the Valleys and the B4269 at Llanellen after temporary traffic lights disappeared and then shorted out under water. On the morning of the 11 February 2014.[15]

A man had been rescued from flood water in Llandogo in Monmouthshire after he had driven his van into two feet of water.[15]

The Old Station Inn in Cymmer, Neath Port Talbot, also had to have it's cellar pumped out.[15]

Sussex and Kent

After Cyclone Dirk saturated ground led to localised flooding in southern England, as the storm brought up to 60 mm of rain to the UK. A major incident was declared in the region of Leatherhead and Dorking with Fire Brigade unions calling off a planned strike in Surrey and Kent. An Environment Agency spokesman said flooding in Kent and Sussex were the worst to hit the area since Autumn 2000. Flooding was also severe in Yalding, Kent. Gatwick Airport saw chaotic scenes before Christmas as flooding from the River Mole affected electrical substations and the North Terminal.[16]

A sinkhole of depth of 4.6 m (15 ft) appeared on M2 Motorway in Kent on 12 February 2014.[17]

Services between Hastings in East Sussex and London's Charing Cross and Cannon Street stations were disrupted by three landslips with the section of line between Wadhurst and Battle in East Sussex , with Network Rail reconing the 16/02/0214 for a reopening A landslip, at Oxted in Surrey disupted the line between East Grinstead/Uckfield in West Sussex and London's Victoria and London Bridge stations, while services were stopped between Woldingham and Oxted. [18]

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Berkshire

Some criticism of Jubilee River designed to protect Maidenhead, though blamed for increasing flooding downstream.

The rains from London to South West England also remain disrupted as problems at the broken line in Dawish and flooding at Maidenhead on 6 February.[19]

Delays and reduced services due to flooding at Maidenhead could be to last until at least 12 February according to a FGW spokesman on the 10th. The cause was that signalling and safety equipment in the Maidenhead area has been affected by flooding. Later that day, Network Rail staff began inspecting the damaged signalling later that evening.[20]

As the Met Office predicted yet more rain forecast by the authorities to fall overnight, police have declared a "major incident" in east Berkshire on the 10th.[11]

Henley-on-Thames was still flooded on 10 February 2014[11]

Datchet was severely flooded as the tide rose over half a metre in 24 hours, blocking roads and railways. Much of the nearby village of Wraysbury was flooded. Thames Ditton, the river has burst its banks and more property is expected to flood. The same is true up to East and West Molesey on 10 February.[11]

There were been evacuations in Wraysbury and Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, some other people are refusing to leave as they are worried about possible looting. Hundreds more properties in the region could be flooded over the next two or three days, the Environment Agency has warned.[11]

Around 30,000 sandbags have been deployed in Datchet, Old Windsor, Horton, Wraysbury and Cookham in Berkshire, with another 5,000 due to be sent out.[11]

Around 1,700 homes in Datchet, Berkshire, hit by power cuts on the night of 12 February.[21]

Slough Borough, Berkshire

An Environment Agency flood warning was issued from the village of Colnbrook on 4 February.[22]

Slough Borough Council (SBC) has joined forces with up with the Environment Agency (EA) to tackle the foreseen local flooding problem.[22] Slough Borough Council officers were in liaising with the Environment Agency (EA) and Thames Water on the 4th as more bad weather was predicted.[23]

Elsewhere, officers began cleaning flood screens in the Manor Park, Chalvey and Salt Hill, but some roads in the Manor Park area saw minor flooding over the weekend, although the water had drained away by the 4th.[22]

That night, SBC officials delivered letters to the affected roads and those most at risk of flooding, including Albany Park, Tall Trees, Coleridge Crescent, Aintree Close, Cottisbrooke Close and Laurel Close.[23]

SBC officials visited the village in the morning of the 5th, where water levels have subsided slightly by the 5th. However, the weather was expected to deteriorate again on the 6th by the EA, with an amber weather warning issued for rain from the afternoon of the 6th until the night of the 8th.[23]

The EA is warned that water levels may not yet have reached their peak. Emergency operations co-ordinations office at SBC, Alison Hibbert, said: "It's pretty miserable for everyone affected by the flooding in Colnbrook. "We had like to reassure those residents that we’re here for them 24 hours a day, and if their home becomes uninhabitable and they have nowhere else to go we will be on hand to help".[23]

Due to the chaos caused by the rain refuse and recycling collections have been suspended until it is safe for waste trucks to access the affected roads. Albany Park is also closed to vehicles.[23]

The council’s adult social care team is in touch with GPs about the medical needs of residents in hard to reach areas and have consulted the community mental health teams and community matrons in case of an epidemic or old and vulnerable people having accidents.[23]

The emergency services handed out a second warning letter to affected homes in Slough and Colnbrook on the 7th.[23]

A National Rail spokesman said on 9 February that the River Thames has flooded at several locations between Staines and Windsor and Eton Riverside stations, shorting out the conductor rail.[24]

Reading Borough, Berkshire

Reading firefighters turned up to fight the flooding at Burghfield's Pingewood sub-station serving 40,000 homes under threat of flooding on 8 February 2014.[25] Several fire brigade pumps are being used to keep water out of the building.[25] Flooding threatened the electrical facility in December 2012 and at that time Scottish and Southern Energy planned to reroute supplies if the substation if it went out of action.[25]

They were also called to an Environment Agency building in near Fobney Lock off Rose Kiln Lane, Whitley which flooded over the night of 7–8 February.[25]

Flooding across Reading including Showcase Cinema roundabout again, a report of a man who fell into the River Thames and reports phoned in of a man "hanging from a tree branch and suspended over water at Caversham Lock."[25] Fire crews were called out to stranded motorists in Winnersh at the Showcase Cinema roundabout, Mill Road in Sindlesham, Deans Copse Road in Burghfield and Reading Road, Shinfield.[25]

Fire crew manager Richard Thomas said one of the boiler rooms at the substation filled with 60 centimetres (2 ft) of water and that was also where some live electric cables were submerged by the rising tide.[25]

Reading firefighters had battled 24 hour battle overnight to stop the flooding at Burghfield's Pingewood electricity sub station on 9 February 2014.[26]

44 soldiers from Brock Barracks were also drafted in to fill sandbags and a specialist high volume pumping unit was installed as efforts to save the substation on 8 February 2014. The sub-station was also threatened by flooding in December 2013.[26]

West Berkshire Council Borough, Berkshire

One of the main entrances of Newbury Station had been closed with water flood pouring off the platforms on 4 January, but the trains are running as normal from the station in West Berkshire.[27]

Spelthorne Borough and Runnymede Borough, Surrey

The EA issued severe flood warnings have been issued for the River Thames in Berkshire and Surrey on 9 February.[24]

Egham was flooded by 11 February, as was Chertsey. [28] .

Heavy floods forced Jabra to evacuate Egham HQ on 12 February.[29] The headset maker Jabra said its channel partners should see no disruption in service after the event.[29] The building is rented from Jabra portalooss, which is owned by analyst giant Gartner situated in Runnymede.[29]

As circa 1,000 homes on the River Thames were evacuated according to the Environment Agency and 2,5000 more homes were at at risk being flooded out in Chertsey Surrey Police declared a "major incident" and has deployed more than 100 officers to the desaster zone.[30] The force said it had been overwhelmed with 999 calls overnight and urged people only to call in an emergency.[30]

Egham, Chertsey, Walton, Staines, Shepperton and Runnymede. [28]

David Cameron and the MP for Spelthorne, Kwasi Kwarteng toured Staines-upon-Thames (Staines, Surrey).[31]

Local officials said 1,000 homes were flooded in Surrey alone [28] and that the flooding was the worst incidence since 1947. [28]

The Environment Agency had remove it's staff from Wraysbury after they began to suffered abuse from locals inspired by Lord Pickels earlier out burst, the GMB Union claims on 13 February 2014.[32]

The Councillor for Horton and Wraysbury, Colin Rayner, said the village had experienced looting and urged the police and Army to help on 13 February 2014 [32]

Oxfordshire

Flooding and groundwater penetration had also disrupted rail services between Oxford and Radley on 6 February.[19]

Some flooding hit Oxford on February 13. [33]

Worcestershire and Herefordshire

Worcester's main bridge was closed for 24 hours over the 9 and 10 February as the River Severn rose to its highest level in seven years and the River Teme in Worcestershire has burst its banks.[34] As a result of this roadworks on Bath Road, Newtown Road and Droitwich Road in Worcester were suspended on safety grounds.[34]

When the Rose and Crown pub at Severn Stoke was flooded surveyors said would be closed for months Landlord Peter Fryar said: "The defences were holding yesterday Sunday and I really thought we had be here today... but this has just totally surprised us."[34]

The Environment Agency expected water levels on the Severn in Worcester to peak at a higher level on the 11th. The Environment Agency spokesman, Dave Throup, said: "Unfortunately, we're expecting another peak tomorrow with the rain that's just in the system coming down from Wales.[34]

BBC Hereford and Worcester reporter Lucy King, speaking from the side of the Severn in Upton, said: "The river is looking extremely full." "The flood defences, though, are working. The water level is up to the top of the wall."[34]

The river levels at Leintwardine, Herefordshire, which are usually flow at between 0.3 m and 1.4 m, were 1.7 m earlier on Monday.[34] The Village of Worcester Oaks was later flooded according to BBC News 24. Flooding also later hit Pembridge, Kingsland and Yarpole on the 10th.[34]

Devon and Cornwall

The towns of Perranporth, Looe, Mevagissey, Porthleven, Newquay had all suffered badly after the remains of America's Storm Hercules hit it earlier in January.[35]

The Environment Agency, issued maximum strength flood warmings for the Cornish coast and Penzance, Mullion and Kingsand on the South coast and Newquay and St Ives, on 31 January.[35]

The fact that the gales will coincide with high spring tides means storm surges could inundate Cornish coastal communities.[35]

A spokesman for the Environment Agency commented that the wind speed and direction was forecast to be a South Westerly force 8 on Saturday morning veering West South Westerly force 10 in the afternoon. He also said that "Waves are forecast to be over 6 m, with a tidal surge around 500 mm. "Over-topping of coastal defences is expected. Exposed coastal locations are most at risk.".[35] Residents in Bude and Portreath whose properties are at risk of flooding have were advised by Cornwall Council to find temporary accommodation during the next day's high tide on 31 January 2014.[36]

Cornwall Council has set up a control unit at County Hall, Truro, called Silver Command, to coordinate any action required over weekend 2 February 2014.[37]

A French fishing vessel was found in difficulties outside of Newquay harbour, but it was later rescued.[37]

Looe was flooding and fire crews were there dealing with minor issues. The main road in Bude is under water and closed.[37]

The Watering Hole pub on Perranporth Beach and the road on Towan Beach Road, in Newquay collapsed There is coastal flooding in Porth and the tide is over the road at Polzeath.[37]

Travelling paramedics called to treat woman injured in St Ives after the wind caught a window which hit her head. Firemen are also on the scene at the water-front house to pump out after flooding.[37]

Kingsand, in south east Cornwall, suffered damage to its clock tower on 4 February.[38]

Police and Cormac Crews entered Portreath, Bude, Perranporth, Wadebridge and Looe, Portreath and St Ives to tackle the flooding.[37]

It was reckoned that storms had caused more than £4 million worth of damage across Cornwall in a month, the local authority has estimated on 4 February 2014.[39]

Firefighters rescued a man from a vehicle stuck in floodwater near the city of Exeter.[39] Sea defences, walls and footpaths have been damaged, including at Newlyn Green 4 February 2014.[39] The Tamar Bridge between Plymouth in Devon and Saltash in Cornwall was closed to all traffic for a period after wind speeds surpassed 70 mph (110 km/h; 31 m/s), and high sided lorries for the next day as well, police said on Feb 4.[39]

Approximately 2,300 homes still remained without power in the West Country, while representatives from Cornwall Council said fire crews were dealing with floods and other problems in Polkerris, Fowey and Looe.[40] A prediction of 20 millimetres (0.79 in) of rainfall was given by weather forecasters at MeteoGroup that evening.[19]

At Exmouth, Sidmouth and Seaton seafronts were closed, and the high tides flooded properties in Exmouth, Lympstone, Starcross and Topsham on 5 February.[40]

The Environment Agency had warned that the South West could face further flooding due to further rain and heavy winds in the next few days.[40]

In nearby Torcross, several houses were heavily damaged by the strong winds and huge waves.[40][40] One resident also described to media how a wave came through the front door, while another in Kingsand described how "massive waves and stones" hit her windows throughout the night.[40]

The High tides also lashed Plymouth's Hoe seafront and the nearby Barbican on,[41] Near the city of Exeter, firefighters rescued a man from a vehicle stuck in floodwater.[39] Sea defences, walls and footpaths have been damaged, including at Newlyn Green 4 February 2014.[39] The Tamar Bridge between Plymouth in Devon and Saltash in Cornwall was closed to all traffic for a period after wind speeds surpassed 70 mph (110 km/h; 31 m/s), and high sided lorries for the next day as well, police said on the 4th.[39]

It was reckoned that storms had caused more than £4 million worth of damage across Cornwall in a month, the local authority has estimated on 4 February 2014.[39]

Dorset

Teams of local volunteers tried to save their locals homes, but could not match the worst floods that hit Swanage for 30 years on 6 February.[42][43]

The coasts of Dorset and the New Forest in Hampshire were hit on 9 and 10 February.[44]

The Avon Causeway re-opened that morning after after being closed that and the Shore Road in Swanage, which has been closed since the 4th due to high tides and stormy conditions. Wareham South Causeway also reopened with Borough of Poole working to clear wreckage off of the prom that’s morning, but Stapehill Road and Stony Lane in Burton both remain closed.

A large sea monitoring buoy was also washed up on Sandbanks beach was successfully recovered by its owners this morning.

The Somerset Levels

There was severe flooding to the Somerset Levels as the River Parret overflowed, with many residents asking for the Environment Agency to resume river dredging.[19] Claims that the government had not been quick enough to react and provide assistance to flooded residents.

On 24 January 2014, in light of the continued flooded extent of the Somerset Moors and forecast new rainfall as part of the UK storms of January–February 2014, both Somerset County Council and Sedgemoor District Council declared a major incident.[45][46] At this time, with 17,000 acres (6,900 ha) of agricultural land having been under water for over a month,[46] the village of Thorney had been abandoned and Muchelney had been cut off by flood waters for almost a month by that time.[45] Environment Minister Owen Paterson visited the area on 27 January 2014, and after meeting local MPs, the Environment Agency and various community representatives the night before in Taunton, promised at a media-only press conference at North Moor pumping station that if a local water management plan could be developed over the next six weeks, he would approve it.[47] Such plan would likely include the dredging of the rivers Tone and Parrett, and possibly a later sluice near Bridgwater.[48] There have been public protests about the river Parrett not being dredged in recent years.

A small unmit of Mounted Police patrolled parts of the Somerset Levels after reports of items being stolen from the homes of flood victims the 3rd. The thieves have already taken heating oil and quad bikes.[49]

Prince Charles then visited the flooded parts of Somerset and told residents it was a "tragedy" nothing had been done for so long on 4 February 2014 Local volunteers, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the firefighters did their best, but required more help from central government. One of the Prince's charities is donating £50,000 to help victims, while the government then announced an extra £300,000 of emergency funding.[50] Some villages on the Somerset Levels had been cut off for more than a month by 4 February 2014[50]

The Ministry of Defence sent around 40 Royal Marines to the Somerset Levels to help with flood protection as more storms were expected on 6 February. The Government also provided an extra £30 million for repairs on the 6th.[51]

Bridgwater was partly flooded on 10 February 2014[52]

Eric Pickles has blamed faulty Environment Agency advice for the scale of the damage to the Somerset Levels and implied that Lord Smith should resign and Energy Secretary Ed Davey insisted "blame games" were not wanted or needed ;on 11 February 2014 David Cameron ordered end to petty political bickering in government as he visited Dawlish and later Staines.[19]

During the week, more than 600 homes have flooded, although some 180,000 properties have been protected from flooding the Environment Agency announced. 16 Severe flood warnings were issued in the south of England.[19]

Both flooding and groundwater had also disrupted services – services have been stopped on the Bristol to Exeter Line between Bridgwater and Taunton.[19] Trains from London to South West England also remain disrupted due to continued trouble at Dawlish and flooding at Maidenhead.[19]

A Dutch team of engineers had arrived in at a sluice at Bridgwater with more than 20 lorries full of kit and pumps to help with the flood relief effort in Somerset on 12 February. [53]

The Environment Agency's south west office had reported that a temporary flood barrier in Bridgwater, Somerset has been vandalised by unknown assailants.[13]

Gloucestershire

On the morning of 10 February, flooding from the River Severn closed the Bredon Road around the White Bear area, part of the Ashchurch Road and part of the A38 in Tewkesbury According to Gloucestershire County Council.[54]

Tewkesbury Borough Council offered to accommodate flood victims at its emergency rest center in its Gloucester Road offices as [54] council staff visited 60 properties to issue sand bags and had been filling others for the town council to use, some of which had been later stolen.[54]

Local volunteers tried to save the White Bear pub.[54]

Cumbria

11 people were rescued from cars trapped in snow on Kirkstone Pass on Friday 31 January as winter storms battered Cumbria.[55]

Snow fell in Cumbria on the night of 11–12 February.[56]

Camden LB

The London Mid Level Sewer Number 2 became partially blocked between Camden and St Marks Church on the 5th due to an accumulation of litter and fallen leaves, inspected on the 8th and was cleared out on the 10th.[11][57]

Croydon LB

Mayor Boris Johnson told Londoners his authorities had planned for such flood as[58][57] an ongoing flooding threat to the Kenley Water Treatment Works continued [59][57][58] near Croydon, south London, continued on 13 February 2014[57][58] The Environment Agency also feared on 13 February 2014 that further rain would result in the wettest winter in 250 years and loss prevention experts at Deloitte also said the cost of the clear-up could cost insurers £1 billion by April 2014.[58]

Wiltshire

A lorry driver died on the M4 in the morning of the 12th.[60]At 07.00 police received reports of a hay lorry between junction 17 (Chippenham) and junction 18 (Bath), fell in to a ditch approximately 1 to 2 miles (1.6 to 3.2 km) west of Leigh Delamere Services.[61]Police, ambulance and fire attended, but the 62-year-old male trucker from St Breward in Cornwall, was pronounced dead at the scene.[62]

A Wiltshireman later was killed on February 12 while he was trying to clear a tree that had brought down power cables at Hilperton road it Bremhill, near Calne.[63] Several fallen tree blocked roads in Trowbridge causing delays.[64]

East Anglia

Norfolk and Suffolk and the A4113 in Herefordshire. [65]

Cheshire and Derbyshire

Sudden snowfall caused problems in Cheshire and Derbyshire though as the cold weather closed the A54 between Bosley and Buxton and sections of the A57 Snake Pass in Glossop on the morning of February 13. [66]

Lancashire

A Met Office 'red' level warning was issued for Lancashire and Cumbria as potentially life-threatening winds are forcast in the counties and the Isel of Angesey on 13/02/2014. [67]

Winds reached up to 100mph on 13/02/2014[68]. Trains on the West Coast main line were out of servaces in the county as slates began falling from roofs and falling trees across Lancashire.[69]

A 100mph wind was recorded in Clitheroe on 14/02/2014. [70]

Northern Ireland

About 4,000 customers in Northern Ireland lost electricity after severe gales of the night of 26/12/2013-27/12/2013. [71]

Channel Islands

Transport

The breach in the South Devon Railway sea wall at Dawlish

On 3 January wave action washed away 300 tonnes of track bed and deposited 800 tonnes of debris on the line causing closure between Barmouth and Pwllheli at Llanaber. Two stranded trains were transported by road to Chester for checks.[72] A 50 m (165 ft) section of the Riviera Line had its supporting sea wall washed away at Dawlish in Devon on 4 February. This cut the main Exeter to Plymouth Line between Exeter and Newton Abbot, cutting Devon and Cornwall off from the rest of the rail network.[73] Network Rail said it had pulled all repair staff away from working on washed away track on the 4th.[41]

A section of the town's sea wall was later reported to have washed away along with the track. Network spokesman, Julian Burnell, estimated "hundreds of tonnes" of ballast had been dislodged from under tracks after they had "taken a real pounding from the sea".[41]

The damage to sea defences were not the only problem as the weather has also forced the closure of the main Exeter-to-Newton Abbot railway line in Devon elsewhere. On the 4th[39] In a press release First Great Western had initially said the Exeter-Newton Abbot line would only be closed until Wednesday as a result of the "poor weather conditions", but this was extended the until Friday on the 4th.[39]

Workmen arrived on the morning of the February 5 to assess the huge hole exposing ground services and exposed railway track after the sea wall collapsed in Dawlish.[40]

A Department for Transport source said the “most pressing issue” was to get the line up and running as soon as possible, “but equally it is clear it is important we look at the long term as well.” on 6 February 2014.[73]

David Cameron chaired his first Cobra meeting this year and announced an extra £100 million for flood works over the next year, as he insisted everything possible was being done to get "stricken" communities moving again by midday.[40][74]

Meanwhile, powerful waves continued to thrash the exposed coastline rail track at Dawlish which carries the main line between Penzance and Exeter and slightly damaged Dawlish station itself on 6 February 2014[73]

The Lib Dem MP for Torbay Adrian Sanders said the loss of the main line was “a disaster” and called on the Transport Secretary to intervene. 6 February 2014[73]

A National Rail spokesman said on 9 February that the River Thames has flooded at several locations between Staines and Windsor and Eton Riverside stations, shorting out the conductor rail.[24]


John Clatworthy, Devon county councillor for Dawlish, calling for fast action said on February 10 "The railway was built in the 1850s and there has been two breaches before now, around 150 years ago. The storm last night was unbelievable. It is not just Dawlish that is affected, this railway line is to Plymouth, the naval bases, Cornwall – it is a lifeline," Mr Clatworthy said.[40]

Network Rail said in a press release on 10 February that it is now actively researching any long term solution and could take a new line further inland, such as via Tavistock and Okehampton following the route of the partially closed Exeter to Plymouth railway of the LSWR. Other options include the Dawlish Avoiding Line investigated by the Great Western Railway or the Teign Valley route, via Christow and Heathfield.[75][76]

Delay trains and reduced services due to flooding at Maidenhead could be to last until at least 12 February according to a FGW spokesman on the 10th. The cause was that signal and safety equipment in the Maidenhead area has been affected by flooding. Network Rail staff began inspecting the damaged signalling later that evening.[20]

Floods and landslips causing major disruption on some First Great Western, CrossCountry, Southeastern and South West Trains routes on the 10th.[11] The West Coast Main Line closed between Preston and Lancaster at 7pm for a few hours because of dangerously high winds and local rail services were also severely disrupted in Cheshire after overhead cables caught fire at Crewe Railway Station on the night of 12 February.[77]

Train operator Virgin implored all customers to 'abandon travel' because of damage to overhead powerlines caused by trees falling in the storm on the night of 12 February.[21]

As a result all trains out of London Euston were at one point cancelled and local services crippled all over the country due to local landslides and tree falls on the night of 12 February.[21]

The South West Trains, Southeastern, Southern and CrossCountry railways were all by the flooding, with other problem spots being Datchet, Staines , Windsor, Eton and Oxford on February 13. [78] The firms sent out replacement bus services but with many roads submerged by the deluge, some stops have been made impossible to navigate in the area. [79]

Services between Hastings in East Sussex and London's Charing Cross and Cannon Street stations were disrupted by three landslips with the section of line between Wadhurst and Battle in East Sussex , with Network Rail reconing the 16/02/0214 for a reopening A landslip, at Oxted in Surrey disupted the line between East Grinstead/Uckfield in West Sussex and London's Victoria and London Bridge stations, while services were stopped between Woldingham and Oxted. [80]

Floods led to delays between Porth and Pontypridd, while flooding on the line near Abergavenny in South Wales meant that trains could not run between Hereford and Newport, with replacement buses being laid on instead. [81] Train services between Manchester and Cardiff were disrupted and degraded, line between Bridgwater and Taunton was still cut. South west England train services were said to be affected for around six weeks by the devastating damage to lines at Dawlish in Devon. [82]

Many roads colosed due to flooding stretched across the country. The towns of Staines, Runnymede, Henley-on-Thames and Cookham all had streets under water and many routes in Somerset also remained unpassable. Other places with less flooded roads included the cities of Oxford and Worcester, Purley and Wrexham in north Wales on February 13. [83]

Several major roads were hit with the A29 at Shripney in West Sussex, the A32 in Hampshire, various roads in Norfolk and Suffolk and the A4113 in Herefordshire. [84]

Sudden snowfall caused problems in Cheshire and Derbyshire though as the cold weather closed the A54 between Bosley and Buxton and sections of the A57 Snake Pass in Glossop on the morning of February 13. [85]

Ireland

Aer Arann and Aer Lingus Regional service lights diverted a flight from Shannon to Cork or cancelled and a Shannon to Manchester and return flights were also cancelled, while the Dublin to Kerry service that night was cancelled and a Ryanair flight to Shannon from Stansted was diverted to Dublin. [86] Aer Lingus flights from Shannon to Heathrow were also cancelled for safety reasons. [87]

All flights from and to Donegal airport were cancelled during the night of 26/12/2013 and the morning of 27/12/2013 when a lightning strike caused damage to essential equipment as the coastline was hit in gusts up to 150km/h hit Ireland’s coasts on 27/12/2013. [88]

Eircom] reported treat night 7,300 customers affected by faulty lines. [89]

The Leopardstown Festival did go ahead as scheduled at the Dublin horse raceing circuit. [90]

Stena Line cancelled its 13.30 ferry sailing from Dún Laoghaire to Holyhead and Irish Ferries also cancelled all its Swift sailings today along with two of its Cruise sailings that day. [91]


Both lifeboats and rescue helicopters continued to search for two Dutch tourists who disappeared after setting out for a walk along Sheep's Head in County Cork, Ireland on Monday 10 February 2014. It is assumed they were washed in to the sea.[11]

210,000 lost power across Ireland on the night of 12–13 February 2014.

Christmas storms

Bernd

Named Bernd by the Free University Berlin, given the name Emily.[92] Met Eireann issued red warnings for wind 9:00 a.m. 18 December to Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo.

  • Bernd (Emily)[93] – 17–21 December 2013. 947 hPa.[94] An area of low pressure from the Atlantic brought wind gusts to the west of Ireland of 133 km/h (83 mph; 37 m/s) causing power outages to 22,000 homes, and widespread disruption. Eight people were injured with one fatality reported in the country. The low also brought strong winds across Scotland and areas of England where one person was reported missing after falling from a cargo ship into the river Trent. Flood warnings were also raised across Scotland and Southwest England.[95]

New Year storms

Anne

  • Anne – 1–6 January 2014. 945 hPa.[96] Anne was a winter storm that affected western Europe bringing storm surges along the coasts of France and the United Kingdom on high spring tides a month after Cyclone Xaver brought surges during the previous peak tides to northern Europe.

Christina

  • Christina – 3–10 January 2014. 940 hPa.[97] An area of low pressure responsible for a winter storm in the USA and Canada moved over the Atlantic and was named Christina by the Free University Berlin on 3 January.

25 January squall line

On 24 January Sedgemoor District Council in Somerset declared a "major incident" in flooded areas as forecasters warned of more rain.[98] Trees were uprooted and structural damaged was caused to buildings by lightning in the Midlands region.[99] There was also a report of a mini-tornado that touched in Sussex and went though Kent before dissipating.

February

Petra

Petra – 3–8 February 2014. 950 hPa.[100] Another coastal event with high seas washing away the railway line at Dawlish, Devon closing the Exeter to Plymouth line. A wave measuring more than 70 feet was recorded off the coast of Penzance.[73] A buoy close to Penzance triggered a reading of 74.8 feet at 3am, which was reported in some media,[73][101] this wave height was later removed from the data set as being an anomalous reading, and unlikely to be accurate.[102][103] 15,000 customers lost power during the storm in southwest England and Wales,[104] 25,000 in Brittany, France[105] and 15,000 lost power across Ireland mainly in the southwest.[106]

A landslip on the West of England Main Line at Crewkerne, Somerset cut off the final link to Exeter on 8 February,[107] expected to take a week to repair, though reports that the track was safe for slow moving trains, however signal problems led to line closure again on 9 February, but was re-opened again that afternoon. The alternative route along the Bristol to Exeter Line was under water on the Somerset Levels,with trains unable to travel between Taunton and Bridgewater.[108] Line at Dawlish out of action, likely to be out of action for sometime and protected by shipping containers.[109]

Aftermath

UK Parliament

The Environment secretary, Owen Paterson visited Environment Agency's emergency Northmoor pumping station near Bridgwater in Somerset on 26 January.[47]

There was vociferous criticism of head of the Environment Agency by Bridgewater and West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger who described Chris Smith, Baron Smith of Finsbury as a "little git", a "coward" and claimed he would "stick his head down the loo and flush".[110] The row focused on the flooding of the Somerset Levels and whether the River Parrett and River Tone should be dredged.[111]

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson was ridiculed for not wearing appropriate footwear on a visit to the Somerset Level floods.[112]


On 7 February, the Environment Secretary had to under go an urgent operation to fix a detached retina, as a result he handed over the flood management to the Communities Secretary Eric Pickles.[113] On 9 February the Secretary appeared on The Andrew Marr Show and apologised "unreservedly" for not dredging the Somerset Levels and said that "the government may have relied too much on the advice" of the Environment Agency.[114] The head of the Environment Agency Lord Chris Smith subsequently responded by openly rejecting the criticism of his organisation and defended it by saying that government budget cuts and "value-for-money" rules imposed by the Treasury were responsible for limiting the Environment Agency's response.[115][116] The media subsequently reported that the Enviroment Secretary had protested in the strongest possible terms to the Prime Minister about the Communities Secretary “grandstanding”.[117]



As the Cobra committee met for two hours on 9 February, the prime minister phoned in and the communities secretary Eric Pickles said there is a "high risk" the Thames, Severn and Wye rivers were going to flood later that day.[115]

David Cameron visited Environment Agency personnel at Chesil Point, Berkshire, as parts of the river Thames in Berkshire and Surrey reached record levels on 1 February.[118]

David Cameron visited wrecked rail track in Dawlish on 11 February[119]

David Cameron and the MP for Spelthorne, Kwasi Kwarteng toured Staines-upon-Thames (Staines, Surrey).[31] Mr Cameron was under public pressure on the 13th to spell out where he would find the money for his pledge to "spend whatever was needed" to help those affected by severe flooding.[31] David Cameron pledged "unlimited" public funds and a £5,000 grant to flood out households in flood plains.[28]

The Councillor for Horton and Wraysbury, Colin Rayner, said the village had experienced looting and urged the police and Army to help on 13 February 2014 [32]

Royals

Prince Charles visited the flooded parts of Somerset and told residents it was a "tragedy" nothing had been done for so long on 4 February 2014 One of the Prince's charities is donating £50,000 to help victims, while the government then announced an extra £300,000 of emergency funding.[50]

Environment Agency

In an emotional plea during a live interview with Sky News, local official Sue Burrows said to the Prime Minister: "We need you, we need the army and we need bodies on the ground on 10 February.[11] "We are tackling this as a community because we refuse to go under, but you need to do something about this now." [11]

Environment Agency chairman Lord Smith said that AE staff and military personnel will be out in Wraysbury tonight to help combat flooding and David Cameron gave his support to the agency.[11]

On a visit to Weymouth, Dorset, where coastal defences are being shored up after a weekend of severe weather, David Cameron backed the Government's response to flooding caused by the wettest January on record.[11]

The Environment Agency said the storm and flood-hit Britain could be left with a bill for more than £1 billion, according to the latest estimates.[11]

The Environment Agency had removed it's staff from Wraysbury after they began to suffer abuse from locals inspired by Lord Pickles earlier out burst, the GMB Union claims on 13 February 2014 [32]

The Environment Agency also feared on 13 February 2014 that further rain would result in the wettest winter in 250 years.[58]


Environment Agency phone lines

David Cameron responded to public anger and called for a premium rate helpline for flood victims to be scrapped after angry complaints from people affected by the floods who discovered they were being charged 41p a minute. On 3 February 2014 the Environment Agency said it makes no money on the calls.[120]

Deloitte's report

Loss prevention experts at Deloitte said the cost of the clear-up could cost insurers £1 billion by April 2014 on 13 February 2014.[58]

Clergy

The Archdeacon of Bath, The Venerable Andrew Piggott, said to his flock: ""Business contracts have been lost, farmers and others who work hard on the land or care for animals have seen their livelihoods threatened," and that "Rat infestation has increased by an estimated 25% and for more than a month in some communities no arrangements were made for the sanitary disposal of waste. as prayor were held on 10 February 2014 [13]

Irish Dail

A proposed tidal barrier for Cork to prevent flooding in the city is ruled out, as a cost-benefit analysis showed that it would be too expensive.[121]

Time line

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External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2013–14_United_Kingdom_winter_floods&oldid=595382862"