24 July 2007

Massive emergency operation underway following floods

A massive emergency operation is underway in order to provide clean water to 350,000 people in Gloucestershire who have been stranded without running water since Sunday.

Four hundred mini water tankers have been set up across Cheltenham, Gloucester and Tewkesbury, and as many as 900 mobile water dispensers are expected to be in Gloucestershire by Wednesday morning.

Around 48,000 homes in the area have now had electricity restored, after repairs were carried out on Gloucester's Castlemeads electricity substation.

Also in Gloucester, emergency services worked through the night in order to protect the Walham substation.

The River Severn had peaked two inches below the main quay wall, which protects the city centre and substation.

Meanwhile, water levels also peaked on the River Thames at Abingdon and Henley in Oxfordshire and further peaks were expected on the River Great Ouse in Bedford later on Tuesday, on the Thames in Reading early on Wednesday and Windsor on Thursday.

Emergency services have also been working at the Mythe water treatment works in Tewkesbury. Severn Water warned that around 140,000 homes could be without water for two weeks following flooding at the site.

Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire have all been badly affected by the floods, with as many as 10,000 homes being flooded or at risk of being flooded.

There are still six severe flood warnings in place, with 30 other flood warnings also in place.

The Association of British Insurers has estimated that the total cost of the damage caused

by the June and July floods in England and Wales could top £2 billion.

(KMcA/SP)