2007 United Kingdom floods

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wider country, to counteract the tendency for defences to be built for upstream areas without much thought for how this might be making flooding worse for downstream areas. In also brings in a new regime whereby new building activity which exacerbates flooding by reducing the capacity of land to absorb water will need to be accompanied by the construction of

237:) depression, Cyclone Uriah, moved across England. The associated front settled over northern and eastern England and dumped more than 3.9 inches (100 mm) of rain in places. The combination of high rainfall and high water levels from the earlier rainfall led to extensive flooding across many parts of England and Wales, with the Midlands, 2673:

accused the government of lack of preparation leading to a "summer of suffering", and said, "With sophisticated weather forecasting as we now have, particularly in relation to what's happened over the weekend, there are quite a few questions as to how it was that flood-prevention measures were not in

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was criticised for not insuring the city's libraries, schools and other public buildings. In response, Hull City Council said that "Many councils do not have the feature in their budget", but other flood-hit councils were insured. It was thought that council tax payers would be left with the bill, as

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in west Oxford were advised to leave their homes. About 30 people went to the Kassam stadium shelter while another 250 decided to stay with family and friends. Osney Mead substation, which supplies power to Oxford city centre, was threatened but did not flood. Later that evening, the Thames breached

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that "This was very, very intense rainfall, with five inches in 24 hours in some areas; even some of the best defences are going to be overwhelmed". He praised the way the emergency services had dealt with "unprecedented" levels of rainfall and said he had "total confidence" in the response of the

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Louth and Horncastle were severely flooded, with some roads in that area impassable. Children at a school in Horncastle were evacuated because of floods. More than 600-flood related calls occurred across the county. In Lincoln, mainly round the Stamp End area, a house called Shuttleworth House was

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In April 2010 the government passed the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, which implemented many of Sir Michael Pitt's recommendations. The Act gives more power and responsibility to the Environment Agency and local authorities to plan flood defences co-ordinated across catchment areas and the

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moved into Northern England, becoming very active as it did so with the peak rainfall on 15 June. Rainfall records were broken across the region, leading to localised flooding. As it weakened, the front moved north into Scotland on 16 June and left England and Wales with a very unstable airmass,

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In terms of casualties, a man and his 24-year-old son died from asphyxiation from carbon monoxide poisoning on 27 July when attempting to stop flooding in the unventilated Tewkesbury Rugby Football Club cellar. On 28 July, the body of a 19-year-old man, reported missing seven days earlier, was

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could burst their banks. Trinity School was badly affected by the flooding as well due to Vodafone's HQ nearby. Vodafone's ornamental lake overflowed due to the sudden downpour and badly damaged Trinity School's astro turf to the front of the school as well as some damage to inside the school.

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By 27 July, £2.1 million had been allocated to Hull and £600,000 to the East Riding for clean-up and immediate repairs, and £3.2 million to Hull and £1.5 million to the East Riding for further repairs to the region's estimated 101 schools suffering significant flood damage.

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in 2010 concluded that "the scale and seriousness of the summer 2007 floods were sufficient to classify them as a national disaster", and that the "total economic costs of the summer 2007 floods are estimated at about £3.2 billion in 2007 prices, within a possible range of between

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in 24 hours. It was the UK's wettest May–July period since records began in 1776. July had unusually unsettled weather and above-average rainfall through the month, peaking on 20 July as an active frontal system dumped more than 4.7 inches (120 mm) of rain in southern England.

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was brutally forced down by a high impact of water flowing underneath the road in a pipe. The hole it made was 13 feet (4.0 m) deep and 33 feet (10 m) wide, traffic throughout the county was held up due to the collapsed main road. The site was named Cropthorne Canyon.

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Visiting Gloucestershire on 25 July, Mr. Brown praised emergency services for their efforts, but added: "We've got to get the supplies stepped up. We will get more tankers in, we will get more bowsers in, we will get more regular filling of them, and at the same time, more

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In July, the Government came under mounting criticism of its handling of the crisis, the fact that responsibilities were spread across four departments and no single minister could be held responsible, and the fact that the Army had not been called in to assist.

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advised people that the risk of contracting any illness was low but that it was best to avoid coming into direct contact with flood water. There were no reported cases of any outbreaks. In some areas bottled water was handed out where sewage works got flooded.

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organised a temporary non-potable water supply to 10,000 homes in Tewkesbury. It was not until 7 August – 16 days after Mythe Treatment Works stopped pumping – that the tap water for the 140,000 homes affected was again declared safe to drink.

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released an early warning of severe weather for the approaching weekend, stating that 0.79 to 1.97 inches (20 to 50 mm) of rain could fall in some areas, raising the possibility of more flooding within the already saturated flood plains.

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promised £46 million in aid to flood-hit councils and £800 million rise in annual spending on flood protection by 2010–11, confirming Hilary Benn's announcement. Brown also pledged to push insurance firms to make payouts.

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would chair an independent review of the response to the flooding. On 4 September of that year the Cabinet Office website launched a comments page to let people affected by the flooding contribute their experiences to the review.

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By 24 July, an estimated 420,000 people were without running water, including most of the population of Gloucester, Cheltenham, and Tewkesbury. Emergency services continued repair work at the Mythe water-treatment works but

1185:. In the Dudley borough flooding damaged local schools, shops and communities. Schools opened the doors with parts of buildings flooded with water, the damage in the West Midlands area estimated at 1.9 billion (2007 GDP). 2485:

and potatoes. In parts of Lincolnshire it was estimated that 40% of the pea crop may have been damaged, with other crops also suffering major losses. Prices of vegetables were expected to rise in the following months.

1495:, a 68-year-old man died after attempting to cross a flooded road in Sheffield city centre, and several cattle were washed away, found up to 3.5 miles (5.6 km) across fields in some areas of cultivated land. The 2603:, help would have arrived much more quickly. One in five homes in Hull was damaged and 90 out of the city's 105 schools suffered some damage. Damage to the schools alone was estimated to cost £100 million. The 1618:

During the Wakefield flood, hundreds of homes were evacuated in the Agbrigg area of Wakefield and looting was feared, but by 1 July only four looters had been arrested in the city and were later released on bail.

3204: 1905:, with 80 residents evacuated from their old people's home on the Kings Road and Avoniel Leisure Centre opened to assist flood victims. On 2 July, houses were flooded and two people evacuated from their home in 3768: 2899: 4947: 1882: 1549:

were evacuated after cracks appeared in the dam. Emergency services from across England pumped millions of gallons of water from the reservoir to ease the pressure on the damaged dam, and the nearby

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groups from throughout the UK assisted councils and blue light services during and in the immediate aftermath of the flooding. During the recovery phase a number of responders from around the UK

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said that about £1 billion a year was needed to improve flood defences. The Association of British Insurers has estimated the total bill for the June and July floods as £3 billion.

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England (Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Gloucestershire, Greater London, Herefordshire, Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire),

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suffered flash flooding affecting 25 homes. Stoke Goldington was affected again on 3 July, with 10 houses being flooded. By 21 July, seventy homes and businesses were flooded by the

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England was affected by the June and July floods, with the North badly hit in June, the West badly hit in July, and many areas hit in both. It was England's wettest July on record.

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electricity substation in Gloucester supplying half a million people. On 23 July 50,000 Gloucestershire homes were left without electricity after a major electricity substation in

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On 20 July flooding occurred in many parts of Greater London. Water and power supplies were not disrupted but parts of South West London were under 2 feet (61 cm) of water.

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By 5 July, an estimated 35,000 people in streets containing 17,000 homes had been affected by flooding in Hull and by the next day more than 10,000 homes had been evacuated.

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area, whilst in the Millhouses Park area to the southwest of the city the River Sheaf overtopped its banks causing widespread damage. There was also widespread flooding in

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Wales was hit by flooding in June and July, with the Eastern areas most badly affected. It was Wales's wettest June since 1998, and its second wettest since 1914. The

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frequent heavy showers, thunderstorms and cloudy conditions. This led to localised flash flooding and prevented significant drying where earlier rains had fallen.

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and schools in the region were closed, the Hull Lord Mayor's Parade was cancelled, the Festival of Football was postponed, police declared a major incident and

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By 3 September, figures released by Hull City Council had been revised upwards to 7,800 houses that had been flooded plus 1,300 businesses that were affected.

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announced that the Government would increase the spending on risk management and flood defences by £200 million to £800 million by 2010–11. During

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of water, just caused by the rain, rather than by a river bursting its banks. Pensioners were stranded in the town's swimming pool and rescued by lifeboat.

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On 22 July, the Environment Agency warned of further flooding and 1,500 people in Abingdon were evacuated. Forty thousand sandbags were transported from

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had to be vacated because of flooding. The next day, only 12 of Hull's 88 schools were still open, affecting 30,000 out of 38,000 Hull schoolchildren.

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On 20 July, another active frontal system moved across Southern England. Many places recorded a month's rainfall or more in one day. The Met Office at

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newspaper stated on 22 July 2007 that the Government had been warned in the spring by the Met Office that summer flooding would be likely because the

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for opening floodgates at Priors Lee balancing lake, however no such gates exist. Repair costs to the railway were estimated at £2 million.

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most badly affected. On 12 June, the Met Office issued torrential rain warnings for Scotland and it was Scotland's wettest June since 1938. The

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reported rainfall totals of 4.1 inches (103 mm) in 24 hours, an estimated 3.9 inches (100 mm) in Hull and 3.0 inches (77 mm) on

7110: 6969: 6592: 3855: 3289: 790: 142:). Average rainfall across the country was 5.5 inches (140 mm); more than double the June average. Some areas received a month's worth of 7199: 6867: 6669: 5665: 3966: 3905: 2819: 8483: 7504: 7391: 5724: 5602: 5570: 5030: 7766: 6303: 5812: 4717: 4372: 8478: 8237: 8232: 7499: 7494: 3773: 2971: 170:

Cyclone Uriah crossing the United Kingdom on 25 June. Associated heavy rainfall led to flooding across northern England, particularly in

6909: 5418: 3708: 3112: 2611:. The lack of media coverage of flooding in Kingston upon Hull led the city council leader Carl Minns to dub Hull "the forgotten city". 7959: 6775: 4547: 4483: 2498: 2030: 1205:

was affected by flooding. A 68-year-old motorist (Judge Eric Dickinson) died after becoming trapped in his vehicle in flood water near

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began pumping flood water out of the village, but not before 130 residents were evacuated. Houses, including the Herefordshire home of

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over topped its banks causing widespread flooding in the Don Valley area of the city. A 14-year-old boy was swept away by the swollen

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had to be turned off. Efforts to stop flooding at Walham substation succeeded; the Castle Meads substation was repaired the next day.

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was completely cut off with no road access, parts of the town were under around 3 feet (0.9 m) of water and flood waters entered

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to the north of the United Kingdom maintaining a dry, cool easterly flow. From 10 June the high pressure began to break down as an

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of floodwater in Hull's County Road North, and in Hessle a 28-year-old man died after becoming trapped in a drain. The new Hull

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after they were cut off by floods on 23 July, and the same boat was later used to rescue three people stranded in a car on the

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was closed due to a landslip where 100 tonnes (110 tons) of earth slid down the hillside and trapped a couple in their car. In

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On 25 June, the region was hit by flooding again. Fire crews received over 1,500 calls in a 12-hour period, dozens of homes in

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On 20 July, Swindon had a month's rainfall in less than half a day. More than 50 people were rescued from their flooded homes.

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completely flooded with water in its insides. After power was lost in the area, more than 200 people were rescued in dinghies.

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Climate researchers have suggested that the unusual weather leading to the floods may be linked to this year's appearance of

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Northern Ireland was hit by flooding in the June and July floods and it was Northern Ireland's wettest June since 1958. The

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were brought in and the Army was mobilised to distribute three million bottles of water a day and keep the bowsers filled.

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By 24 July, Hull City Council had checked each house in the flooded streets and stated that 6,500 homes had been flooded.

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and Stanhope Road, Northgate, St Cuthbert's Way, Parkgate and Haughton Road were closed after water levels rose by about

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was closed after a landslide caused by flooding between Junctions 12 and 13 eastbound. Approximately 1,100 properties in

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during the summer of 2007. The worst of the flooding occurred across parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland on 14 June;

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By 4 July in Hull, six schools were still closed and 120 residents in residential or nursing care had been relocated.

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in the distribution of fresh drinking water in the Gloucestershire area after mains drinking water was contaminated.

1665: 1653: 515:, Cambridgeshire were shut when the river level peaked, and the Environment Agency warned residents in the St Neots, 150:

Civil and military authorities described the June and July rescue efforts as the biggest in the UK in peacetime. The

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were flooded by a freak thunderstorm leaving 10 planes unable to land, landslides closed the Antrim Coast Road near

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in West Yorkshire. Until 2007, the average monthly total for June for the whole UK was 2.86 inches (72.6 mm).

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Jenna Meredith, one of the victims of flooding, was one of the most high-profile critics of the government response

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By 26 June, the waters in some parts of Sheffield and the surrounding area receded, and over 700 villagers from

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town centre, and the A617 was covered by more than 2 feet (0.6 m) of floodwater causing traffic delays.

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On 21 June, about 2000 homes were left without electricity and properties were affected as flash floods hit

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and about 50 people at a Hull nursing home were evacuated, boats were used to evacuate about 90 people from

467:, which handles the United Kingdom's nuclear warheads, resulting in a suspension of work for almost a year. 8331: 8321: 8316: 8306: 7806: 7554: 6466: 4451: 2705: 2200: 1998: 1862: 1843: 1827:, causing schools to be evacuated, roads to be closed, and boats used to rescue people from their homes in 1396: 754: 460: 4653: 2599:

In June, councillors in Hull claimed that the city was being forgotten and had the floods occurred in the

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in less than 12 hours to a "perilously high" level and the Thames and the Severn were expected to rise to

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Flooding in King's Park, in Retford as a result of the River Idle overtopping its banks, taken on 27 June

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and 30 people spent the night in the town's Radcliffe centre, but 10 miles (16 km) away a system of

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died after being swept away whilst crossing Risedale Beck, Hipswell Moor. On 23 June, flooding affected

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England (East Riding of Yorkshire, Hull, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire, South Yorkshire),

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were flooded and one man drowned attempting to swim across the River Great Ouse in Bedford. Parts of

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in Oxfordshire reported 4.98 inches (126.6 mm): a sixth of its annual rainfall. The college at

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was the worst affected county – with both some minor flooding in June, and major flooding in July.

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Areas affected by flooding during this period were as follows (see above for specific citations):

1649: 840:, affecting homes and causing the Royal Lancashire Show to be cancelled on 9 July. On 4 July, the 284:

to issue 16 further severe flood warnings. By 21 July, many towns and villages were flooded, with

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was closed due to flooding with some shops remaining closed downstairs until late September and

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was closed after numerous landslips on the line. Also, on 19 June/20 June, parts of the town of

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England (County Durham, Herefordshire, North and West Yorkshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire),

1970: 1930: 1708:. On 17 July, flash floods after torrential rain forced the closure of a secondary school in 1065: 937: 737:

cancelled 141 flights. Two of four rail lines in South Croydon were closed by landslips. The

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estimated that water supplies would not be restored for at least 14 days. 900 drinking water

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Non-administrative areas affected in June and July 2007 floods as of 24 July (marked in blue)

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of water and the Army was brought in to help emergency services supply the inhabitants of

8: 8409: 8027: 8022: 8003: 7964: 7949: 7944: 7915: 7719: 7699: 7646: 7631: 7489: 7077: 4334: 4305: 4220: 4007: 3656:"Gallery: Flooding in Cambs (picture 1: Flooding on The Waits in St Ives, 25 July 2007.)" 3046: 2940: 2403: 1950: 1226: 1131: 964: 829: 190:

Administrative areas affected in June and July 2007 floods as of 24 July (marked in blue)

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was flooded. Six elderly women, including a 91-year-old, were stranded in their homes.

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town centres were flooded, the shopping mall in Maidenhead was closed and parts of the

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On 1 July rain cancelled the one-day international cricket match between Scotland and

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attended 1,800 calls in a 48-hour period, compared with the usual 8,000 calls a year.

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near the Antrim-Down border that were affected included the Kings Road, Ladas Drive,

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were badly affected, just as ground- and reedbed- nesting birds were hatching young.

1142:. To a lesser extent, areas of Leamington Spa and Warwick also experienced flooding. 1135: 575:

A 64-year-old man hit his head and died after trying to bail out his flooded home in

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brewing companies offered 23 beer tankers to help supply drinking water. On 26 July

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On 15 June, heavy rainfall caused the postponement of the fourth test match between

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were flooded. Later the same day, the Environment Agency advised residents near the

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for providing aid after natural disasters was criticised as inadequate by Hull MP

1080:, were flooded when the Wesley Brook burst its banks. Some of the residents blame 765:, Herefordshire were without clean water on 22 and 23 July after the pumps at the 7461: 7139: 7105: 7017: 3736: 3677: 2407: 1780: 1772: 1575: 1546: 1512: 1392: 1372: 701: 693: 676:

Combined military and civil emergency services tried to stop floods reaching the

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On 22 June, heavy storms flooded roads and dumped debris on the railway line in

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after the River Dall burst its banks following heavy rain. On 16 July, parts of

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on 22 July, firefighters used a boat to evacuate five people from a house near

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overflowed its banks. On 18 July, streams overflowed and roads were blocked in

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which was by then 2 m deep. The waters were still rising, endangering the

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Residents of East Bromyard were rescued after the River Frome burst its banks.

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said it is carrying out its biggest ever peacetime rescue operation, with six

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England (County Durham, Cumbria, Lancashire, North Yorkshire, Worcestershire),

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shopping centre showing extensive flooding after the River Don burst its banks

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helicopter was also employed to move aggregate to reinforce the banks of the

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Following the flooding in late June, the rescue effort was described by the

1181:. As in Warwickshire, the Tame caused losses at a nature reserve; this time 761:

was closed on 22 July due to flooding. More than 5,200 people in and around

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as the "biggest in peacetime Britain". Following the flooding in July, the

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On 27 June 2007, flash flooding caused extensive damage to the villages of

821: 689: 433: 293: 210: 3375:"Your weather pictures (picture 27: Flooding in Felmersham, Bedfordshire)" 3325:"Your weather pictures (picture 10: Tuesday 24 July – Bedford Embankment)" 2199:

On 18 July, heavy rain caused landslips blocking the railway line between

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were flooded and 600 residents were evacuated, with many taking refuge in

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On 3 July a landslide caused by floodwater disrupted traffic on the A941

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after a freak rainstorm, and on 18 July 2007 a cloud burst left parts of

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in Worcestershire was flooded for the second time in three weeks after a

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the most affected. Gales along the east coast also caused storm damage.

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June was one of the wettest months on record in the United Kingdom (see

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described the July floods as critical and expected them to exceed the

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