MEDC River Flooding: UK Summer Floods, 2007

Causes
1. Wettest June since 1914 and the coldest since 2002
2. Dullest since 1998
3. The UK's weather has partly been attributed to the La Nina system, which leads to cooling of waters along the equator in the eastern Pacific
4. Instead of low pressure being driven towards Iceland, it is coming towards the UK which has become the focus for areas of rain
5. The Jetstream was flowing further south allowing low pressure systems to sweep straight over the centre of the country
6. Thames tributaries burst their banks, spilling onto the river's already water-logged flood plain
7. High pressure systems over Europe and the Atlantic had been weak
Response
1. Flood and Water Management Act became law in April 2010
2. The Environment Agency said many homes in the north of Oxford were saved by the Kidlington flood defence scheme
Impacts
1. Oxfordshire
  1. In Abingdon, where a sever flood warning was issued for the River Ock, 570 properties were flooded
  2. About 900 home flooded in the county
  3. About 125 resident were housed at a refuge centre set up at the Kassam stadium
2. Shropshire
  1. Avoided the worst, although much of the area was on flood watch
  2. Large parts of Ludlow flooded and some left without water
  3. The UK National Ballooning Championships were cancelled for the first time in 32 years
3. Gloustershire
  1. 3 people died after the river severn flooded areas such as Gloucester and Tewkesbury
  2. 350,000 without water after treatment submurged
  3. 140,000 without water for more than a week
  4. Bottled water and water tanks brought in
  5. Shops reported strong sales of basic supplies and queues outside
  6. Motorists stranded on the M5 on the 21st July
  7. By the 30th July, 60,000 homes had water but customers advised not to drink for a while by Severn Trent

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MEDC River Flooding: UK Summer Floods, 2007

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	Created by Chloe Smith over 9 years ago