Torrential rain floods south east England
Pastor Dale Morgan
Torrential rain floods south east England*
By David Sapsted
Last Updated: 8:43pm BST 21/08/2007
While the Garden of England was reduced to a paddy field yesterday after
lightning, torrential rain and flash floods brought misery to
homeowners, holidaymakers in the South West basked in glorious sunshine.
Temperatures in Devon were in the twenties, sending people flocking to
the beaches. "It's hot, the sun's shining and everyone's in great
spirits," said Sam Stafford, a chef at the Beachcomber cafe on
Woolacombe beach, north Devon. "It's about time we had some sun."
Meanwhile, Kent bore the brunt of a bout of sudden, heavy downpours of
up to 11mm of rainfall in an hour. Met Office forecasters said the
deluges were caused by a similar line-up of showers to those that
brought tragedy to the Cornish town of Boscastle several years ago.
At least 70 homes were flooded, roads became impassable and rail
travellers faced lengthy delays after lightning struck a signal box in
the Folkestone area causing delays to London-bound trains.
Mick Smith, the Margate fire station manager, said the flooding was
severe, particularly in Hythe, Folkestone and Whitstable. A converted
barn was under 18in of water. "Surface water just couldn't escape down
the drains quick enough."
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Water levels in several streets of the old part of Whitstable was
knee-deeep and flooding closed the A256 in Dover and was affecting the
villages of Hawkinge, Hythe, Etchinghill and Alkham.
A police spokesman said: "The heritage area of Whitstable seems to have
been the worst affected because the drains could not cope with all the
rain. The fire brigade have been pumping out premises."
About 30 householders in Canterbury appealed to the city council for
sandbags to keep rising water at bay.
Tourist chiefs in East Anglia say this the worst summer in 50 years,
with twice the rain, low temperatures and about 200 hours less sunshine
than on average.
The Reading Festival, which starts on Friday, has had to abandon parts
of its campsite because they are still waterlogged after last month's
floods. Organisers, however, described the main arena, where the likes
of the Red Hot Chili Peppers will perform, as "fine".
Nigel Bolton, the Met Office national forecaster, said Devon's good
fortune should spread. "Towards the weekend, everywhere should dry up
completely with some dry sunny spells and pleasant rather than hot
weather," he said.
# The Reading Festival, which starts on Friday, has had to abandon parts
of its campsite because they are still waterlogged after last month's
floods. A car park has been turned into an emergency camping area to
compensate. Some of the site, on the banks of the Thames, was waist-deep
in water last month but organisers have described the main arena, where
the likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers will perform, as “fine”.